Ruben Neves to Wolves is one of those surprise transfers which really should have been obvious, and not for football reasons.
A year or so ago the Porto midfielder was considered in his country to be one of the best youngsters in Europe. He was linked with big money moves to some of the continent’s biggest clubs, and it made sense, here was a player mature beyond his years.
Trusted with the Porto captaincy on repeated occasions from the age of 18, Neves was cementing himself as a club hero, and the fans obviously adored him.
But last season he went so far backwards that his price probably halved. It was clear pretty early on that things weren’t going well for Neves last season, under new management at the club. Danilo was preferred and there was no desire to find a way to also get Neves in, or to give him a full enough platform to develop his game.
In August, in a match against AS Roma, Neves had been told he was coming on as a substitute. The manager then reversed his decision, it was too much for Neves, and all the frustration took over him, sat on the bench struggling, and failing, to hold back tears, perhaps the midfielder knew his new manager just didn’t fancy him.
Neves played less than half the games last season that he had the one before. There were a couple of small injury issues, but nothing to account for that difference.
In such a scenario a transfer is likely. What isn’t likely is the player leaving Porto to join Wolves and reunite with the manager who frustrated him so much last season.
But then, Neves is a Gestifute player, Porto have been desperate for money, and he may well have been ‘encouraged’ to do what he’s told.
Portuguese newspaper O Jogo consider Neves to Wolves a sure thing, and report it was settled late last night, oh-so-perfect for Porto’s accounts.
Although Nuno used him little at Porto, O Jogo say the Wolves manager made a specific request to hire the player, but it would take some believing to judge the major reason for this deal is anything other than a fudge to help Porto’s finances.
Neves must have been given assurances about a Wolves starting place, and it all could turn out fine. There’s every chance Neves will take the Championship by storm, and the circumstances of the deal be soon forgotten, but, equally, it could prove to be a Gestifute push too far.
But then Neves is one of the agency’s more junior players, and subject to being used to help the greater good.
O Jogo say Wolves have agreed to sign Neves on a package which could be worth as much as €20m.
