Report: Wolves midfielder ‘major candidate’ for Serie A ‘move’, club has ‘long-term strategy’
According to RadioSei via Football Italia, Ruben Neves is a ‘major candidate’ to ‘move’ to Lazio this summer as part of a ‘long-term strategy’ for the Serie A giants to build up a relationship with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
RadioSei believe Lazio’s Director of Sport Igli Tare is working with Wolves agent Jorge Mendes to develop a transfer partnership. Football Italia highlighted how Mendes brokered deals for Lazio to sign Pedro Neto and Bruno Jordao from Sporting Braga for £11.88m and sold the pair to Wolves for £24.75m.
Whether Lazio’s relationship with Mendes will improve their chances of signing Neves remains to be seen, however. The 23-year-old is an important player for Nuno Espirito Santo and has 125 appearances under his belt for Wolves, scoring 15 goals and making seven assists.
Neves joined Wolves from FC Porto in 2017 and has three more years remaining on his deal at Molineux, so the Midlands outfit aren’t under any obligation to cash in early. That’s not to say Lazio aren’t an attractive proposition, however.
Before the season was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I Biancocelesti were sitting second in Serie A with 62 points from 26 games, one adrift of leaders Juventus. If the campaign is eventually resumed, Lazio could end the Old Lady’s monopoly on the division and book their place in the Champions League for 2020/21.
That being said, Neves may be content to stay at Wolves. He’s been linked with Juventus, Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur but hasn’t shown a desire to leave just yet.