Arsenal tipped to hijack Newcastle United's move for highly-rated Saudi Pro League midfielder

Newcastle United’s hopes of signing former Wolves captain Ruben Neves could be dented by Premier League shareholder meeting which is expected to result in a temporary ban on incoming loans between teams who have the same owner.

Such news is likely to open the door to Arsenal who are hoping to hijack the deal with a rival bid, according to reports from TalkSport. Neves thrived in the Premier League during a six-year spell at Wolves where he established himself as the club captain whilst making 219 appearances for the club.

The Portuguese international spearheaded the club’s rise from the Championship to European football and was viewed as the standout player in the Wolves team due to his excellent range of passing, set pieces and ability to strike the ball from long distances.

Neves won the admiration of a number of Europe’s biggest clubs during his time at Molineux, but it was Saudi outfit Al-Hilal who won the race to sign the 44-time Portugal international for £47m, which at the time was a record-fee for Wolves.

The 26-year-old has played 12 games in the Saudi league, but hasn’t ruled out a return to Europe, according to reports. The Daily Mail states that Arsenal’s head of recruitment Edu is a big admirer of Neves and adds that the club are hoping to sign an additional midfielder to fill the void left by injury-hit Thomas Partey.

Neves is blessed with leadership, Premier League experience and great technical ability. The Portuguese star has not played in the Champions League since his days at FC Porto and he may consider a move which would see him once again compete in Europe’s elite competition. 

90min.com reports that Neves himself is keen on a move back to England, although it is not yet clear if Arsenal are in the market for a permanent deal or a loan move.