Joao Moutinho had the pleasure of playing alongside several talented players at Molineux, but it seems like one Wolves teammate in particular stands out as his favourite.
Joining in 2018 to much fanfare, Moutinho wowed teammates from the moment he arrived in the West Midlands.
Having helped guide the Molineux side from Premier League newbies to European challengers, many view Moutinho as Wolves’ best-ever player.
The midfielder’s road to legendary status was aided by a number of gifted teammates, with Moutinho singling out Ruben Neves as a big part of his Wolves success.
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Joao Moutinho loved playing alongside Ruben Neves
Moutinho and Neves were very close during their time at Wolves – something which also showed on the pitch.
The Portuguese pairing struck up a golden partnership at Molineux, becoming one of the Premier League’s best midfield units.
Moutinho loved Neves’ shooting ability, but that wasn’t the only thing he admired about his midfield partner.
When speaking on his connection with his Portuguese compatriot, Moutinho told Sky Sports in 2020:
“I like playing with him because he is a smart player.
“That is important in the Premier League because even though it is physical, the duels aren’t just about your body. You can escape situations without crashing into the player. You can be smart.”
Neves was a huge fan of Moutinho
Moutinho’s admiration for his former teammate seems to go both ways.
Speaking only a few months after Moutinho had signed for Wolves in 2018, Neves spoke on the immediate impact the midfielder made at Molineux.
“He is a great player. Everyone is seeing what he can do, and he is a very good player for us,” Neves told the Wolves website.
“He is one of the most important players in the squad because he’s very experienced, very smart, and an intelligent player. We learn every day and as a team we are learning with each other, but especially from a player like Joao.
“We want to learn from him. He’s played Champions League and has been European champion and fortunately, we can enjoy him.”