Arsenal have opened negotiations with Wolverhampton Wanderers for their highly rated midfielder Ruben Neves.
According to Record, discussions between the two clubs have already taken place but Wolves are reluctant to sell one of their most important players ahead of a crucial season.
The departure of Nuno Espirito Santo, who was manager throughout Neves’ time at the club, has created some uncertainty about their prospects for the upcoming campaign.
His replacement, Bruno Lage, is embarking on just his second managerial job, having previously coached at youth level and acted as assistant to Carlos Carvalhal.
He will be keen to keep hold of Neves, who has been a cornerstone of Wolves’ success over the last four years.
The midfielder was named in the PFA Team of the Year as Wolves won the Championship title before impressively stepping up to the Premier League.
After consecutive seventh-place finishes, and a run to the Europa League quarter-finals, Nuno’s side dropped into the bottom half of the table last season.
Neves still maintained his own high standards, scoring five goals, including a penalty in a 2-1 win over Arsenal at Molineux in February.
That meant that Wolves completed the double over Mikel Arteta’s side, and the 24-year-old’s contribution to those two results didn’t go unnoticed.
A crisp and accurate passer of the ball over any distance, with a fierce shot, Neves has already racked up 176 appearances in a Wolves shirt.
The Portuguese international has won 22 caps for his country since making his debut against Russia in November 2015.
He was part of Fernando Santos’ squad for the Euros but only managed a brief cameo in the 2-2 draw with France before the reigning champions went out in the second round.
Neves was one of four Wolves players to be called up by Portugal, alongside Rui Patricio, Nelson Semedo and Joao Moutinho.
