Ruben Neves could be set to make a quick return to the Premier League with Arsenal now reportedly showing interest in the former Wolves captain.
Neves was the first player to leave Molineux in the summer transfer window, joining Saudi club Al-Hilal for a reported £47 million.
It was a move that raised a lot of eyebrows at the time, with many feeling Neves had the ability to play for a Champions League club. He was slammed by some in the media, such as Ally McCoist, but others, like Molineux legend Steve Bull, defended him for thinking about his family with the lucrative switch.
A lot of Wolves fans did come round to the idea of Neves playing in Saudi, as it at least meant that the club would not have to come up against him.
But that is something that could yet happen, with Arsenal apparently now looking into a potential January transfer…
Arsenal showing interest in former Wolves captain Ruben Neves
According to 90min, Neves is a player of interest to the Gunners, who are preparing for Thomas Partey’s potential exit from the club. The Ghanaian’s future is uncertain at the moment.
It comes after it was reported Newcastle United were keen on Neves.
There has been a lot of talk about Newcastle’s interest in Neves because the Magpies are owned by PIF, who also own four Saudi clubs including Al-Hilal.
Later this month, Premier League clubs will actually vote on a temporary ban stopping teams from loaning players from clubs under the same ownership. Should there be 14 clubs voting for the temporary ban, Newcastle would not be able to sign Neves.
But it looks as though Arsenal may be another potential destination for the Portugal international, who has so far made 17 appearances for Al-Hilal. Apparently, he is open to a return to the Premier League.
Seeing Neves in an Arsenal shirt will sting
So Arsenal are apparently considering making a move for Neves, who is a player they were often linked with while he was a Wolves player.
It is going to be very interesting to see what happens with him in January, because obviously, he had become one of the Premier League’s top midfielders at Wolves.
It was a real shock that he made the move that he did, and a lot of people don’t expect him to be there for long. It would certainly be a surprise, though, if he left the Saudi outfit in the very next transfer window.
One thing is for sure, it would sting for a lot of Wolves fans to see Neves coming back to the Premier League and donning an Arsenal shirt.