Former Wolves defender Andy Thompson has noted that Ruben Neves has become more mobile in midfield in the last two years or so.
The playmaker will quite possible turn out for Wanderers for the final time on Sunday against Arsenal.
The 26-year-old has been heavily linked with an exit from Molineux, with Barcelona reportedly keen to sign him.
Wolves will let him go for the right price. That price is thought to be in the region of £45 million.
Neves was emotional when he was substitute off towards the end of the Everton game last Saturday. It very much looked as though he was saying goodbye to supporters.
When the time does come for him to leave, he will go with the blessing of many Wolves fans.
He’s a legend for what he has done for the club, and he deserves to be playing Champions League football, something he really wants.
It will be a big shame to see Neves go.
It has been a joy to watch him down the years. That passing ability of his is simply brilliant.
But in recent times Neves’ game has become a lot more rounded.
The star doesn’t just play those Hollywood passes from the base of the midfield. He’s actually fantastic in terms of making tackles and interceptions.
And interestingly, former Wolves defender Thompson has noted a gradual change in the star’s game in the last two years.
He said (via Wolves official): “You can see he’s 100 percent every game, with the way that he works tirelessly for his team, and with the amount of ability he has as well. A wide range of passing, he works up and down, box to box, and I think that’s one of the things he has added to his game the last two years ago, that he can get more mobile across the pitch, and he’s done that because he’s needed to.”
Ruben Neves has become more ‘complete’ for Wolves in the last two years – and he looks like he’s been running further in games
This is a fair comment from Thompson.
Arguably a few years ago, Neves was mainly a player to sit in front of the defence and spray passes out wide.
That was something he was and still is brilliant at.
But in more recent times there is a definitely more strings to Neves’ bow.
He gets around the pitch a lot more than he did and he is impressive in the way he wins the ball back.
He was doing that a lot earlier this season, but people haven’t been seeing it as much lately with Mario Lemina in there doing most of the mopping up.
But Neves is definitely more mobile these days, and whoever signs him will be delighted there’s much more to him than passing.