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Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves this summer. Mikel Arteta is keen to strengthen his midfield, with Granit Xhaka set to leave the club in the coming weeks.
According to the Sunday Times, Arteta has identified Neves as the perfect replacement for Xhaka, and Arsenal have already made contact with Wolves over a proposed move.
The report states that the Portuguese midfielder will cost Arsenal around £34 million this summer. Neves has been a key part of Wolves' midfield since 2017. The 24-year old is seen as one of the most talented midfielders in the Premier League and would be an upgrade over Granit Xhaka in terms of quality.
The Wolves midfielder scored five goals in 36 league appearances in the 2020-21 season and was a lynchpin in Nuno Espirito Santos' midfield. Neves' contract at the club runs until 2024 and it remains to be seen if the Portuguese midfielder decides to leave the club this summer.
Neves scored five goals and provided two assists in 39 matches across all competitions for Wolves in the 2020-21 season. Comparatively, Xhaka had one goal and two assists across 45 appearances.
Additionally, Neves is a better deep-lying midfielder than Xhaka - which would allow Arsenal to control games better. Neves also has lesser yellow and red cards across his career compared to Xhaka, showing that he is much more composed as a player.
Arsenal may find it hard to sign Neves
Arsenal may find it difficult to tempt Neves away from Wolves this summer. The Gunners did finish much higher than the West Midlands club, but failed to qualify for European football. This could prove to be a major factor in convincing Neves to join the club.
Wolves are also confident that the Portuguese midfielder will be going nowhere this summer. Matt Wild, the club's general manager of football operations, told the Express and Star last month:
"I think in the press or our fans are thinking he’s only signed up to 2023, but in fact he is on contract until 2024. He’s still got another three years, so fans don’t need to worry that he’s going to be going anywhere, or he’s going to be out of contract any time soon. So, yes, he’s still got another three years on his contract."
Arsenal are also reportedly keen on signing Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma. The Malian has apparently told the South Coast club that he would like to leave this summer. Mikel Arteta is keen to bring him to the Emirates Stadium to pair him with Thomas Partey in Arsenal's midfield.
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