Ruben Neves became one of the best signings in Wolves recent history when he made the £15 million transfer from Porto in 2017.
It was a then-Championship record fee to sign Neves, sending a statement to the rest of the division and ultimately, laying down a marker on their ambitions.
Wolves ended up winning the Championship in 2017/18, with Nuno Espirito Santo inspiring a return to the Premier League.
The Portuguese maestro was, unsurprisingly, at the heart of their success, producing unbelievable moments of magic, including Neves’ thunderbolt against Derby in 2018.
The midfielder then helped Wolves qualify for Europe on back-to-back occasions, becoming an icon at Molineux and arguably their greatest midfielder in the modern era.
Unfortunately, supporters knew that all good things were going to come to an end eventually, and as the Wanderers slipped down the table, Neves joined Al Hilal for £47 million in 2023.
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The main reason Ruben Neves left Wolves in 2023
It was somewhat of a surprise when the 27-year-old penned a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia, as some big European clubs were interested.
Barcelona were linked with Neves, but ultimately, he couldn’t turn down a life-changing move to Al Hilal, who have since supplied him with the riches to set up his family for future generations.
“To give my family the life I always dreamed of for them, this was, for me, the main reason that made me have no doubts about accepting this proposal,” Neves explained why he left Wolves in 2023.
“I have three children and a wife. Taking care of them is my biggest trophy.”
“The project, Al Hilal being the best club in Asia. Since the news started to come, my social media went crazy, it was unbelievable to see the amount of fans Al Hilal have and how passionate they are for football as well so it was a good decision for me and my family I’m sure.”
Since joining the Saudi Arabian outfit, the Portuguese international has made 75 appearances with eight goals and 20 assists.
Neves is seemingly enjoying himself in the Middle East, although he did tease a potential return to Molineux last year.
What Neves said on a potential return to Wolves
In November 2024, Neves watched Wolves beat Southampton 2-0, returning to the club he’s adored by for the first time since departing.
Up until that win, Neves confessed he’s watched every Wolves game in 2024/25, suggesting the Old Gold still hold a special place in his heart.
So, naturally, Neves was asked whether he’d return to Wolves one day, and the midfield magician left the door open, which was an encouraging response.
“I don’t like to speak about that because life changes a lot. Of course, this is a special home for me and a special home for my family, so Wolves will always be in our minds and there will always be a chance,” he said.
“But I don’t want to create expectations to anyone, because we know how football is, we don’t know what will even happen tomorrow. But for sure, it’s an open door for me. I believe that if I can choose, Wolves will always be one of the options, for sure – but I don’t know what can happen.”
Supporters would welcome him back with open arms, and perhaps once his career starts to wind down in years to come, he will return to his throne in Wolverhampton.