Jack Grealish explains Bruno Lage’s colossal transfer demand to Man Utd

Bruno Lage reaffirmed his belief that Ruben Neves is worth £100million at his latest Wolverhampton Wanderers press conference.

The Wolves boss has settled on that whopping fee for a ‘top player and top man’ who he believes is destined to become one of the world’s finest midfielders. Manchester United are interested in Neves, and so are Arsenal and Barcelona, so who can blame Lage for trying to drive the price up - even if his tongue was planted firmly in his cheek as he drifted from £100m to 'one hundred thousand million' in the space of a few seconds on Thursday.

The reality is that Wolves owners Fosun probably view things differently to Lage, but £100m seems more than fair. Why? The simple answer to that question is Jack Grealish, whose British record transfer to Manchester City from Aston Villa last August changed the landscape.

Grealish has managed two goals and two assists in the Premier League this season, despite playing in the forward line of a team which has scored 80 times in its 33 matches. Neves, meanwhile, has scored four goals and recorded two game-winning assists for a Wolves side who are the fifth lowest scorers in the league.

Comparing Neves and Grealish is largely pointless, as they have completely different skill sets, but if there is one area the Englishman should better his Portuguese counterpart, it’s goal contributions. The fact Grealish trails Neves in that department further justifies Lage’s astronomical price tag.

By paying £100m for a squad player, who isn’t getting a look-in for City’s season-defining Champions League knockout matches, Pep Guardiola has provided rival managers with the opportunity to hike prices. Wolves reportedly valued Neves at £35m last summer - now they can