Transfer Centre

Wolves boss Bruno Lage: "Special" Ruben Neves is worth in excess of £80m

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 07 April 2022

Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Bruno Lage suggests that any clubs interested in signing Ruben Neves should be prepared to pay in excess of £80m.

Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Bruno Lage says that any clubs interested in midfielder Ruben Neves should be prepared to pay in excess of £80m.

With his contract due to expire in 2024, Neves is being heavily linked with a transfer away from Molineux with alleged future Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag said to be an admirer.

Reports have suggested that the Portugal international may be available for a fee in the region of £40m should he opt against extending his stay at Wolves.

However, when quizzed on the matter at a press conference on Thursday, Lage suggested that the 25-year-old possesses such quality which some of the biggest clubs in the world would usually spend £100m on his signature.

Lage told reporters: "I don't know if it's United or other teams, what I know is we have a special player here with us. What he is doing this season is very good. I think also the way we play, he can show a better Ruben, and also the way he plays puts our team on a different level.

"When you have that player, the best thing to do is improve his salary and years of contract. But who knows, when you have a top player like him in that specific position, that can defend and attack, and is a top professional and a great man, the big teams are there with £100m to buy these kinds of players.

"It depends on the strategy of Wolves also, that's why it was so hard to find players in the past two transfer windows because we want to find the best players at the right price and the right age to help us, then after two or three years they can give us economical profit.

"It's not just about Wolves, in these days which club can refuse a proposal of 80, 90 or 100 million pounds? Five or six."

Barcelona are also said to be monitoring the situation, a report earlier this week claiming that Camp Nou is Neves's most likely destination.