According to reports, a Manchester United ‘midfielder transfer’ is ‘gaining momentum’ ahead of the winter transfer window for four reasons.
Man Utd had a mixed summer transfer window as they invested around £230m on signings, landing Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Senne Lammens.
The Red Devils also offloaded several unwanted stars, including Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho and Rasmus Hojlund.
However, Ruben Amorim‘s side did not land all of their desired targets as their failure to sign Brighton standout Carlos Baleba means they are lacking a top-tier No.6.
This means that rival Premier League clubs have found it easy to play through Man Utd, who sit 14th in the Premier League after only winning one of their opening four matches.
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Therefore, Man Utd’s January transfer priority will be to sign a centre-midfielder, though they are linked with alternatives to Baleba.
Crystal Palace standout Adam Wharton has also been mentioned as a possible target, while former Wolves star Ruben Neves is a left-field option.
The 28-year-old was heavily linked with several Big Six clubs before he left Wolves to join Al-Hilal in 2023, though a possible move to Man Utd has been mooted in recent weeks.
Now, a report from journalist Mark Brus for The Daily Briefing has revealed an ‘interesting update’ on Neves to Man Utd, with this transfer ‘gaining momentum’ for four reasons.
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Neves is said to be ‘open to offers’ and ‘willing to return to the Premier League, while Man Utd boss Amorim is a “fan”.
A ‘trustworthy source’ told Brus: “There’s the Portuguese connection there, and he’s seen as someone who would adapt well and fit in to Amorim’s system.”
Another factor in Man Utd’s favour is that Neves could leave Al-Hilal ‘on the cheap’, though they do face competition from other Premier League sides.
The report claims:
‘Newcastle and Tottenham will also likely be in contention as long-time admirers of Neves, but there’s also a particularly strong interest from United boss Ruben Amorim.
‘My source added that Neves could also move on the cheap, perhaps as little as €20m, which will likely make him a tempting market opportunity. Still, it’s worth emphasising that there haven’t been any talks yet, or any offers made, so it’s just one to keep an eye on.’