The captain of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ruben Neves, is being targeted by Manchester United, according to reports, as the Portuguese playmaker is expected to leave the Midlands team this summer.

What has changed since Neves joined Manchester United?

The former Porto ace, 26, is reportedly believed to have had “important offers” amid the possibility of leaving Molineux, with the Red Devils reportedly being one of the clubs to have contacted him, according to Spanish source Sport – via Sports Witness.

According to the article, the Old Trafford team is “very interested” in signing the 39-cap maestro ahead of the upcoming campaign. Manager Erik ten Hag is reportedly planning to bolster his midfield this summer, according to earlier reports.

The 5 foot 11 wonder, who is reportedly valued at £45 million and has just one year left on his present deal, is believed to be keen on a move to La Liga powerhouse Barcelona after nearly six years in England. This most recent rumour does, however, add that he has his heart set on the move.

What role might Neves play at Manchester United?

Although Ten Hag and company would probably also be able to help the player realise his dream of playing in the Champions League, with only a point needed to secure their spot in the top-four, Neves’ apparent desire to move to Camp Nou could prove to be a roadblock in United’s hopes of signing him.

The Wolves captain, who earns £50,000 a week, has been praised as a “incredible player” by teammate Hugo Bueno. If the Carabao Cup winners could convince the Wolves captain to go to the Theatre of Dreams, it may well prove to be a wise choice.

The Mozelos native, who has made 34 league appearances and has contributed six goals and one assist, has been crucial in helping the Old Gold to safety this season. His ball-winning skills have particularly drawn the attention of the media.

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If he were to join the Red Devils this summer, the deep-lying asset could very well form a destructive and powerful midfield partnership with Casemiro. The Portuguese star has proven his defensive prowess by averaging 2.3 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per game this season, a number that is fairly similar to that of United’s Brazilian warrior (3.2 tackles and 1.3 interceptions).

The two players’ ranking in the top ten in their division for tackles made this season further demonstrates their ability to effectively screen in front of the back four, and the possibility that they will team up again in the coming season is extremely tantalising.

The signing of Neves would surely add to the brilliance in the middle of the pitch and help establish a midfield axis that might be the envy of the rest of the Premier League. Casemiro is already thriving in Manchester and has been hailed by Ten Hag as the “difference-maker.”

The hard-tackling pair would undoubtedly be a stiff challenge for any team, based on their contrasting performances this season for United and Wolves.