Ruben Neves transfer: Man Utd & Arsenal hammer blow as Wolves warned over 'riots'

Wolverhampton Wanderers are braced for interest in star man Ruben Neves when the summer transfer window opens in June.

Neves has enjoyed a superb season in old gold and speculation is mounting that his five-year stay at Molineux is nearing its conclusion. Wolves can expect to make a huge profit on the then club-record £15.8million they paid for Neves in 2017.

Long-term admirers Manchester United are expected to make a move after confirming Erik ten Hag as their new manager. Ten Hag is reportedly a fan of Neves and United's hierarchy view him as a 'cheaper option' to solve their midfield conundrum after West Ham slapped a £150m price tag on Declan Rice.

United sent a senior scout to watch Wolves' match against Brighton last month as Neves made his comeback from injury. Barcelona and Arsenal have also shown interest in Neves.

Wolves are in talks with Neves and his agent Jorge Mendes over extending the midfielder's current deal, which is due to expire in 2024. Wolves are prepared to offer Neves significantly improved terms on the deal he signed back in 2018 when the club returned to the Premier League.

Bruno Lage believes Neves is capable of reaching the very top and the Wolves head coach has lavished his midfielder with praise throughout this season. Lage would love nothing more than to keep the 25-year-old and build his team around him, but he anticipates interest from European powerhouses.

“I know he’s having a fantastic season,” said Lage. “He’s back to what he did in the past, and that’s the kind of player we can have with us if we want to create a good team - a big player who can put us on a different level. But this is football and you never know. The way he plays I can see other teams are looking for him