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Ruben Neves opens door to Barcelona move amid transfer talk

Ruben Neves opens door to Barcelona move amid transfer talk
© Reuters
Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves says that it is "a privilege" to be linked with clubs such as Barcelona.

Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves has said that it is "a privilege" to be linked with clubs of Barcelona's "calibre".

There was a host of speculation surrounding the Portugal international's future over the summer, but the transfer window closed with him still at Molineux.

The 25-year-old has again been a vital player for Wolves this season, featuring on 11 occasions in all competitions, scoring twice in the process.

The West Midlands club have found it difficult in the Premier League this season, though, picking up just nine points from their opening 11 matches, which has left them down in 18th position in the table.

Neves's contract, meanwhile, is due to expire in the summer of 2024, and it is understood that he is not currently prepared to discuss an extension with the club.

Ruben Neves scoring a penalty for Wolverhampton Wanderers against Nottingham Forest on October 15, 2022.© Reuters

A recent report claimed that Barcelona were planning to sign a new central midfielder in January and had identified Neves as a possible acquisition.

The Portuguese has now seemingly opened the door on a switch to Camp Nou, claiming that he feels 'privileged' to be mentioned as a target for the Catalan giants.

"Who wouldn't want to try Barcelona? I think it's a common question for all players," he told Canal 11.

"It's one of the biggest clubs in the world. Of course, it's always a privilege for me to be associated with clubs of this calibre. I'm going to do my job here [at Wolves] and I'm sure I have people working with me.

"I trust these people a lot for these situations. I have to focus as much as I can on Wolves. Making a good time here, things will come naturally."

Ruben Neves in action for Wolverhampton Wanderers on August 6, 2022© Reuters

Neves's move from Porto to Wolves in July 2017 came as a surprise, as he had been linked with some of the leading clubs in world football before arriving at Molineux.

The midfielder has now made 223 occasions for his current side, contributing 26 goals and 12 assists in the process, while he represented them on 42 occasions during their time in the Championship.

Neves, who will turn out for Portugal at the 2022 World Cup, is also believed to be a target for both Arsenal and Manchester United, with the Premier League pair thought to be tracking the developments.

Barcelona are also believed to have identified Leicester City's Youri Tielemans and Chelsea's Jorginho as potential mid-season signings, with head coach Xavi wanting to boost his midfield.

Sergio Busquets's contract at Camp Nou is due to expire next June, and the experienced midfielder is widely expected to leave the La Liga outfit on a free transfer in search of pastures new.

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3Liverpool382410486414582
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