Wolves captain Ruben Neves set to join Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal for £47 million deal

Ruben Neves (Source: Twitter)

Saudi Arabia's pursuit of top international players continues as Wolves captain Ruben Neves is the latest to be linked with a lucrative transfer deal. According to reports, despite having one year remaining on his contract with Wolverhampton Wanderers, the Portuguese player is likely to move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal for a deal of €55 million (£47m).

Spanish giants Barcelona FC had shown interest in Neves, who also wanted them primarily. However, Barcelona were unable to make a suitable offer, and Al-Hilal attempted to net the ball at the perfect time. With his contract set to expire in June 2024, Wolves have agreed to sell their skipper, with Neves reportedly set to accept the deal sooner rather than later.

The 26-year-old joined Wolves from Porto in 2017 on a rumoured £15.8 million deal while the club was playing in England's second-tier league, The Championship. Since his debut year at the Premier League club, he has become an important part of the team. Neves was instrumental in promoting Wolves to the Premier League as they won the Championship in his first season. He also won the Player of the Season award in the same season.

According to reports, the midfielder has successfully completed his medical with Al Hilal and is ready to sign a three-year contract with them, making him the latest top player to join the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo was the first world-class player to enter Saudi football when Al-Nassr signed the Portuguese star for £177m ($215m) per year.

N’Golo Kante follows his compatriot Karim Benzema

Soon after, Riyadh-based club Al-Hilal offered Argentina icon Lionel Messi a whopping package, but he chose to join Inter Miami to play in the Major Soccer League (MLC). It has been less than two weeks since Al-Ittihad acquired the services of French superstar Karim Benzema. The former Real Madrid striker has become one of the highest-paid footballers, reportedly earning around €200 million per year (around Rs. 1765 crores).

There were reports that French midfielder N’Golo Kante is set to leave Premier League side Chelsea and follow in the footsteps of his compatriot. He is still rumoured to be joining Al-Ittihad of the Saudi Pro League on a two-year deal.