Ruben Neves, the former captain of Wolves, has disclosed that, before relocating to Saudi Arabia, he was “almost” close to signing with Arsenal last summer.
Ruben Neves, the Portuguese midfielder moved to Al Hilal for £47 million in July 2023, capping a six-year tenure at Wolves.
The 26-year-old, who has 45 caps for Portugal, has been linked to moves to English teams like Liverpool and Chelsea for a considerable amount of time.
Nevertheless, before the club spent £105 million for Declan Rice, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal made the greatest overtures throughout the summer.
Neves told O Jogo, “I was close to three clubs and it didn’t happen, which saddened me and helped me decide to go to Al Hilal.”
“I didn’t want to name names, but it was true that Barcelona was among the hottest.” Just as with Arsenal, it was on the verge of happening.
Then there was another club that wasn’t in England. After a series of unfortunate occurrences, I jumped at the chance to contract with Al Hilal when it presented itself. I had already become weary of transfers that never materialized.
Despite rumors that he would sign a winter loan with Newcastle United, Neves has been a constant in Al Hilal’s starting lineup this season.
With five goals in 35 games for the team, the midfielder has contributed to their seven-point advantage atop the Saudi Pro League standings.
