Julen Lopetegui has said Ruben Neves will be the ‘main actor’ for Wolves in the second half of the season for Wolves.
Wanderers have had an awful start to the new season and currently sit bottom of the pile after 15 games in the Premier League.
Bruno Lage was sacked at the start of October, but the club have finally now replaced him with Lopetegui.
The Spaniard had his first press conference today.
Lopetegui spoke about a number if things, including Wolves coming back in for him after his initial rejection, and the desire to strengthen in January.
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There was also a word from the new boss about Neves, who has been the standout player for Wanderers so far.
Lopetegui was the man to give Neves his professional debut when he was 16 years old at FC Porto.
Last week, Wolves released a video of Lopetegui going about Compton Park on his first day at the club. At one point, he bumps into Neves for the first time.
The pair embrace, before having a chat.
Lopetegui spoke about the Molineux captain today, and actually said that he had been hoping to manage him again.
He said (via Birmingham Mail): “The future of Ruben Neves is to be the main actor in the next part of the season, to play with a high level. He is our captain and he is going to be very happy to help us to get our goals.
“I have known Ruben Neves since he was 16, he played his first professional match in Porto with me. When I left Porto I told him, ‘I want to manage you at 25 years’, and now I am here!”
Neves and Lopetegui will be a brilliant match, after working together previously
Neves has been going from strength to strength in recent years for Wolves, and he will surely continue on an upward trajectory under Lopetegui.
He has been brilliant in all aspects this season in a struggling team, all while wearing the captain’s armband.
Without doubt he will be the ‘main actor’ when club football returns, as Lopetegui says.
In an ideal world, Neves will reach an even higher level under him and he will fancy extending his contract in order to continue working with him.
That might be wishful thinking though, considering it was expected he would leave in the last window.