For the past few summer windows, Rúben Neves has been linked with a move away from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but no deal took shape and he didn’t come close to leaving them.
That, however, could have changed in the upcoming window as earlier this week, Sport stated that Barcelona have showed interest in the midfielder.
It was explained the La Liga side want the 25-year-old to replace Sergio Busquets and their relationship with his agent, Jorge Mendes, could help them in the summer transfer window.
Thursday’s edition of AS dismisses the possibility of the Portugal international arriving at the Camp Nou after this season, and they detail the reason for that.
The Catalan club are looking for a long-term replacement for Busquets, whose current deal runs down in 2023 and who will turn 34 years of age in July.
Frenkie de Jong was chosen as Busquets’ successor, but AS state he has ‘not yet found a place in the defensive pivot’ and Nico González has not been comfortable in that position. Therefore, the Blaugrana looked at the Wolves player.
However, Neves’ signing has been ‘totally ruled out’ since Wolves value him at €50m and Barca are ‘not willing’ to pay this figure ‘under any circumstances’.
The only possible option for them to carry out the deal is to include a player as part of the deal, but such an operation between Barca and Wolves is already underway involving Adama Traoré and Francisco Trincão.
Therefore, Barca chief Mateu Alemany ‘rules out Rúben Neves for being expensive’.
