Man Utd and Tottenham are both reportedly interested in Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves, and they may now have received a boost in that potential pursuit.
The 23-year-old has established himself as a top-class player since joining Wolves in 2017, playing a pivotal role in their promotion to the Premier League and then in making them a real competitive side in the top flight.
He’s now made 125 appearances for the club, while he has 16 caps for Portugal to his name as he looks set for a big future for both club and country.
However, there has been speculation over his future this week as The Express report that amid interest from Man Utd and Tottenham, Wolves have identified Idrissa Gueye as a possible replacement for him.
It won’t be cheap for either club to prise him away though as they look to launch a potential raid on a direct rival with Wolves right in the mix in the battle for European qualification, as it’s suggested that Neves is valued at over £50m.
In an ideal world, Wolves will surely hope to keep hold of their star man, but ultimately it would appear as though they have been forced to at least make back-up plans in the event that they do indeed lose him.
With Nemanja Matic turning 32 later this year and with a lack of quality and depth in the more defensive roles in midfield beyond Fred and Scott McTominay, it’s perhaps an area in which Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still feels Man Utd could improve.
As for Spurs and Jose Mourinho, he also boasts options in that department, but should a player of Neves’ quality become a realistic target, that’s arguably a move that Tottenham would jump at too.
Time will tell how the situation plays out, but the mere suggestion that Wolves might be lining up a replacement for Neves is arguably a boost for Man Utd and Tottenham in itself if they are indeed plotting a raid this summer.