Ruben Neves Completes Record-Breaking Move to Al Hilal
Wolverhampton Wanderers have agreed a record-breaking deal to sell their captain Ruben Neves to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal for a fee of €55 million (£47 million). This is the highest fee ever paid for a Wolves player and the 26-year-old Portuguese midfielder had a year left on his contract.
Neves’ Ambition at Wolves
At the end of last season, Neves expressed his ambition to move to Barcelona, however, the Catalan giants were unable to come up with an acceptable offer. As a result, Neves has taken the option of becoming the latest big-name player to join the Saudi league. Karim Benzema completed a free transfer to Al Ittihad this month and Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is linked with joining him, while Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr in December.
Wolves’ Success with Neves
Wolves regard the sale of Neves as excellent business at a time where they are trying to generate funds for manager Julen Lopetegui to strengthen his squad. Neves has been central to their success since joining from Porto in 2017. He helped them win the Championship a year later and then to two consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League. The club also reached the Europa League quarter-finals in 2020 – where they were knocked out by Lopetegui’s Sevilla – but have struggled to replicate that success and finished 13th last season having been bottom at Christmas. Neves has made 253 appearances for Wolves in all competitions, scoring 30 goals.
Al Hilal’s Recent Signings
Al Hilal have been busy in the transfer market this summer, signing several high profile players including former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema and former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante. The club has also signed former Juventus and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined from Al Nassr in December. Al Hilal are hoping that Neves will help them challenge for the Saudi Pro League title this season.
Neves’ Impact on Wolves
Neves has been an integral part of Wolves’ success over the past four years and his departure will leave a huge void in the team. He was instrumental in their promotion to the Premier League and their subsequent success in the top flight. He has been one of the most consistent performers in the team and his leadership qualities will be sorely missed.
Conclusion
Wolves have agreed a record-breaking €55 million (£47 million) deal to sell their captain Ruben Neves to Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal. Neves has been an integral part of Wolves’ success over the past four years and his departure will leave a huge void in the team. Al Hilal have been busy in the transfer market this summer, signing several high profile players including former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema and former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante. The club is hoping that Neves will help them challenge for the Saudi Pro League title this season.