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Barcelona are reportedly very interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves.
The Portugal international has been a key figure for Wolves since joining the club from FC Porto in 2017. He has played 233 games for the west Midlands side, scoring 28 goals and providing 12 assists.
As per SPORT, Barcelona are interested in bringing Neves to Camp Nou and have also advanced their talks with the midfielder and Wolves.
The Blaugrana could secure Neves' signature for a relatively low cost by sending a player to the other side in a player plus cash deal. Wolves would be interested in signing either Franck Kessie or Nico Gonzalez.
The Premier League side have succumbed to the idea that they will have to part ways with their captain in the summer. The Portuguese midfielder's contract expires in the summer of 2024 and he hasn't renewed his contract at the club.
He is keen to join Barcelona as well and even refused some offers last summer to wait for a potential move to the Catalans.
However, manager Xavi isn't too convinced by the signing. Known for his incredible passing range and his ability to control the game, Neves is more of a central midfielder.
Meanwhile, Xavi is looking to bring in a defensive midfielder. However, if he can convince Sergio Busquets to continue for another year or turn Frenkie de Jong into a defensive midfielder, he would welcome Neves.
Reports suggest that Busquets is considering moving to the MLS after this season.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta on Ruben Neves
Joan Laporta recently spoke about Barcelona's links with Neves amidst reports of Busquets' departure from the club in the summer. He told Cadena SER:
“Ruben Neves is a top player but it's part of private conversations. Busquets has to decide his future, he has proposals from MLS and so we're exploring options for the future. Xavi will decide who's the right player for us.”
Neves himself would be highly interested in joining Barcelona and speaking about a potential move, he told Canal 11 in October last year:
"If you ask in general, all players want to play for Barca! It’s one of the best clubs in the world. It's a privilege for me to be linked to this team.”
Neves has scored four goals in 17 Premier League appearances this season for Wolves, who sit in 19th place in the table.
