Wolves have been handed a slight boost as club captain Ruben Neves looks set to stay in this transfer window – but an eventual move away looks inevitable, Dean Jones has claimed.
What’s the word?
The midfielder has been linked with a number of clubs including Liverpool, and his contract expires in the summer of 2024.
Although Wolves are fighting a relegation battle, Neves has been a standout player, with the Portugal international scoring four times this season.
Despite the interest in Neves, Jones believes Wolves’ precarious position means they are unlikely to let the 25-year-old leave mid-season, while the midfielder may wait and assess his options.
Can Wolves stay up this season?
Yes – they’ll survive
No – they’re going down
Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones claimed that although there is interest in Neves, it may suit him to wait and have a wider range of clubs to choose from as his contract winds down.
He said: “There is a level of interest there, but with Wolves bouncing back to form, the fact he’s been pretty influential in that – it makes you wonder whether he would go right now.
“I mean, his contract’s obviously winding down. On one side of things, you can say, look, it probably makes sense for him to see this out and then see what options are out there at the end of the season, because there will be more offers on the table.”
Outstanding quality
Neves has established himself as a top Premier League midfielder during his time at Wolves, ranking in the top 10% of European midfielders for shots and clearances over the past year, as per FBref.
He will be a big loss for Wolves if he does leave, even if he sticks around until the summer, after 236 appearances since his arrival from Porto in 2017.
Losing him now could be the difference between relegation and survival, so even if Wolves receive a lucrative offer, we think they should make every effort to keep their captain before the season finishes, and then look to replace him well if he eventually departs.
