Fabrizio Romano, the famous and reliable Italian journalist in the transfer market, has settled the controversy surrounding the future of Portuguese star Ruben Neves, the midfielder of Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal club, amid frequent press reports linking his name to a return to European stadiums through the continent’s giants, Real Madrid of Spain and Manchester United of England, during the current winter transfer window.
Real Madrid's stance on the Neves deal
Speaking on his official YouTube channel, Romano denied any concrete moves by Real Madrid to sign Neves in January. He explained, "I've seen many reports about Ruben Neves, but I'm not aware of any interest from Real Madrid in him in January, nor do I know anything about any negotiations.".
Romano further explained Real Madrid's strategy: "At the moment, Real Madrid is very quiet in the winter transfer window in preparation for the summer transfer window, and the club's management isn't keen on making major signings mid-season." This statement aligns with Florentino Pérez's well-known policy in recent years, where the club prefers to focus on strategic, long-term summer signings rather than temporary solutions, despite the recent injuries plaguing the squad.
Manchester United and the probing phase
Regarding Manchester United, Romano indicated there had been initial contact but no formal steps taken with Al-Hilal. He said: "United officials spoke with Ruben Neves' agents about several topics, but they haven't started concrete negotiations with Al-Hilal officials. Let's see what happens, but for now, things are still in their early stages.".
Manchester United have been struggling with inconsistency in midfield this season, making the search for a player with Neves' qualities a logical technical move, especially given his extensive experience in the English Premier League.
Neves' career and his importance in the Al-Hilal project
Ruben Neves moved to Al-Hilal in the summer of 2023 from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a deal that was the talk of the world, given the player’s young age (26 years old at the time) and the fact that he was the captain of a Premier League team and was wanted by major European clubs, including Barcelona.
Since joining Al-Hilal, Neves has proven to be a key player in coach Jorge Jesus's squad. This season, he has featured in 16 matches, scoring 5 goals and providing 1 assist, highlighting his pivotal role not only in intercepting passes but also in building attacks and contributing to the team's scoring.
General context and impact of the Saudi League
These rumors confirm the success of the Saudi Professional League project in attracting top-tier stars who are still at the peak of their footballing abilities. The mere fact that a Saudi league player's name is linked to clubs the size of Real Madrid and Manchester United reflects the high quality of talent available in the Kingdom.
However, it seems very difficult for Al-Hilal to let go of one of its main pillars in the middle of the season, especially since the team is competing on all local and continental fronts, and is seeking to maintain its technical stability in order to continue winning titles.
