Newcastle United are considering raiding Wolverhampton Wanderers for their prized asset in Ruben Neves, who has been heavily linked with a move away from Molineux this summer.
What's the latest on Ruben Neves to Newcastle?
According to the Mirror, Newcastle's qualification for the 23/24 Champions League has placed them back in the reckoning for a swoop for Neves, who is expected to depart from Wolverhampton this summer.
Barcelona have been the discernible favourites to complete a deal for the 26-year-old, though Ansu Fati's refusal to be included in a swap deal for the Portuguese midfielder has thrown a spanner in the works.
As such, Eddie Howe's Magpies and Manchester United, who need one point from two matches to secure top four, are in a firm position to clinch Neves' signature, with a fee as high as £50m touted for his signature.
Should Newcastle sign Ruben Neves?
Despite a remarkable campaign that has propelled Newcastle back to the forefront of the Premier League, Howe has admitted that a "big transfer window" is forthcoming, with a return to the Champions League expected to continue the ascension, and not cultivate a slump with the increase in match action.
Signing Neves would represent a marked improvement on an already thriving midfield, Joe Willock, Bruno Guimaraes, Sean Longstaff and Joelinton all impressing with their exploits this year and playing instrumental roles in crafting a high-octane and cohesive side capable of fighting to the top across multiple fronts.
Having made 252 appearances for the Old Gold, Neves, who has been described as "incredible" by former teammate Hugo Bueno, is a distinguished gem in English football and is one of the sweetest strikers of a football around, also hailed as a "beast" by former pro Jimmy Conrad for his scintillating set-piece ability.
As per Sofascore, the 39-cap Portugal international has recorded an average rating of 7.26 in the top flight this season, scoring six goals, averaging 1.9 shots per match, completing 84% of his passes, and making 2.3 tackles and 2.4 clearances per game.
He also ranks among the top 10% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 15% for interceptions, the top 8% for blocks and the top 2% for clearances per 90 (statistics provided by FBref) illustrating his defensive resilience and eye for the back of the net.
The £50k-per-week phenom could be the perfect ace to replace Sean Longstaff, who has been a notable success story on Tyneside this year and has been regarded as a £50m player by journalist Keith Downie, which could bode well for United as they look to make the requisite improvements to their team to ultimately unleash a squad brimming with Europe's premium talent.
Longstaff has been heralded as Newcastle's "unsung hero" by Paul Merson, but is outscored by Neves across almost every metric on Sofascore, and while statistics do not paint the full picture, with Longstaff's work indeed encapsulating the diligence that falls below the eye-catching, dazzling side of football, Neves is something of an assiduous ace himself.
Neves, who indeed has been touted for the very same fee as the lifelong Magpie, is unquestionably an upgrade: more robust, more tenacious, and more quality on the ball.