Wolves manager Bruno Lage may be feeling rather concerned as a key decision regarding the future of Ruben Neves could go either way.
Indeed, according to The Sun, the Premier League outfit are set to open fresh contract talks with the player amid current transfer interest from Arsenal. However, should they not be able to come to an agreement, Wolves look set to sell Neves for a figure in the region of £50m.
The article quotes club technical director Scott Sellars as saying: “We’re obviously talking to him and we all know how much he loves playing for the club. We know how much he has settled here, but he is also an ambitious young man.
“As with all players, you try and have an open dialogue with them and their representatives to come to the best scenario for the club and the player.”
With that in mind, TIF has taken a look at what it could mean for Wolves…
Another key setback
On top of that obvious transfer concern, the club also have to contend with the fact that Neves looks set to miss out on the rest of the season – and so could never play for the club again.
Indeed, it was recently revealed that Wolves expect their midfielder to be out until around May after suffering a medial collateral ligament injury to his knee in their game against Leeds United.
With the club’s last game of the current campaign set to take place against Liverpool on 22nd May, it’s clear that Neves’ involvement will be minimal at best over the final months of the season.
Considering he has played in all but two league games this term as a vital member of the Wolves team, it’s easy to see why this latest transfer doubt will have added insult to injury after that dreadful fitness update.
Will Ruben Neves be at Wolves by the end of the summer window?
No
Yes
Lage will be worried
As mentioned before, Neves is an integral part of the current Wolves team. According to statistics from The Athletic, only Conor Coady has played in more games than the 25-year-old this season, only Raul Jimenez has contributed more goals to the team, and only Nelson Semedo has won more tackles.
With that in mind, it’s clear to see just how valuable Neves is to his manager, as he can help out in both defence and attack while offering consistency in the middle of the park.
Sadly, if a new contract can’t be agreed upon, it looks as though the Portugal international will leave. If that is the case, it could be considered a tough ask to find a viable replacement in the transfer market – even if they did receive a fee of £50m.
To make things worse, at 35 years of age, Lage’s other midfield general, Joao Moutinho, may not be able to play at his peak for much longer.
It’s starting to feel like the Wolves setup could look very different in the near future and that could be a huge concern to all those involved at the club.
In other news: £12.42m man gets big chance, Lage could now unleash 19 y/o: Big Wolves update emerges – opinion