Newcastle United have found themselves in need of reinforcements in midfield after their summer signing Sandro Tonali was banned for the rest of the season after breaching betting rules. Amid this, they have been linked to making a short-term move to sign former Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves in January.
Newcastle United’s Current Stance On Ruben Neves Signing Clarified
Are Newcastle Really Eager To Sign Neves?
The Premier League clubs recently took a vote where they decided that teams can sign players on loan from other sides that are also within the same ownership group. This would allow Newcastle United to do business with Saudi Arabia club Al Hilal, which is also owned by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
Recently, there have been rumours that Al Hilal midfielder Neves might be a target for the Magpies to be a short-term replacement for Tonali and that they might sign him on loan in January. Fabrizio Romano has given his take on the matter and says that there is nothing going on behind the scenes over the possibility of Newcastle signing the Portuguese midfielder, who has also been linked with Arsenal.
He insists that there have been no talks held between the management of the two clubs, with Eddie Howe’s side only showing their appreciation for Tonali. For now, the journalist adds that the situation is very quiet and that we will need to see in December or January if this can go ahead.
What Has Neves Been Up To Since Leaving Wolves?
Neves spent six years at Molineaux Stadium before deciding to move to the Middle East in the summer transfer window, and has been playing for them ever since. He has made 17 appearances for the Saudi club so far, scoring two goals and providing an assist.
The 26-year-old has a ton of experience playing in the Premier League, having made 177 appearances for Wolves in the competition and scoring 21 goals in that period. Neves, who was hailed for his “incredible” shooting ability last season, could be a solid option to improve Newcastle’s squad depth and add a bit more goal-scoring prowess to their midfield.
More must-reads: