According to reports from O Jogo via The Metro, Arsenal sent former winger Luis Boa Morte to run the rule over Chelsea and Liverpool target Ruben Neves yesterday evening.
The central midfielder, who team-mate Cristian Tello has compared to Barcelona’s formidable anchorman Sergio Busquets, is only 18 years of age but has already registered 49 senior appearances for the Dragons and became the youngest captain in Champions League history during a 2-0 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv earlier this season.
He’s now a fully-fledged Portugal international, following November’s round of friendlies, and a regular fixture in the Premier League’s rumour columns – with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool all reportedly interested in the 5 foot 11 midfielder.
Chelsea were first linked with Neves in September and have since been tipped to launch a bid at the end of the season, Liverpool have been tracking the 5 foot 11 centre-mid for some time but their interest has accelerated since the appointment of Jurgen Klopp and they reportedly made an ‘informal enquiry‘ in October, whilst Arsenal have emerged as rival suitors due to Francis Coquelin’s three-month injury lay-off.
And according to O Jogo, the Gunners sent former winger Luis Boa Morte, who struggled to impress during his two-and-a-half-years in north London but later enjoyed great Premier League success with Fulham, to take a closer inspection of Neves yesterday evening.
Unfortunately, the teenager failed to appear during a 4-0 win over Uniao da Madeira as an unused substitute. Nonetheless, Boa Morte’s scouting mission is evidence of Arsenal’s interest in Neves matching that of their Premier League rivals.