Arsenal target Wolves’ Rúben Neves after Buendia disappointment
According to The Times, Arsenal have begun the work to sign midfielder Rúben Neves from Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Portuguese international has been transfer listed by the club’s Chinese owners, who look to refresh the current squad under new manager Bruno Lage.
The Gunners are on the lookout for fresh midfielders in their rank, as they try to add more bodies to a position which has looked short in numbers.
After the end of the summer, Arsenal may find themselves with even lesser players in the central defensive position, as Granit Xhaka looks likely to leave, with Italian club Roma heavily linked.
Dani Ceballos’ loan is also not going to be extended and thus adding a Premier League proven player makes sense.
The Athletic reported last month that a fee of around £35m would be enough to convince The Wanderers to sanction a sale.
Many supporters have reservations about Neves. But there are a lot of positives to take from the player.
Some Arsenal faithful have an image of the 24-year-old being less athletic. But that is clearly not true.
Before anyone writes off Ruben Neves for not being athletic enough or not covering more ground than Xhaka consider this:
Here is the EPL 20/21 heat maps for Xhaka (left) and Neves (right). To me, it is very clear which of the two covers more of the pitch. pic.twitter.com/PiuB3LXHVn
— The Gooner Talk (@TheGoonerTalkTv) June 6, 2021
Although Brighton and Hove Albion’s Yves Bissouma might be considered a better option, his involvement in AFCON in January complicates matter.
It is still to be seen whether the North London outfit will launch a bid for the coveted Wolves star or not.
If he does end up joining Arsenal, supporting him would be better than slaughtering him.
Yash Bisht
Rúben Neves is not as creative a player as Buendia. FACT. Neves has other qualities though. But Arsenal do need a creative midfielder with high quality.
He is not a Buendia alternative. He is Xhaka’s reported replacement.
Neves is a slight upgrade on Xhaka as he scores more however the same problems with mobility will arise. We need two mobile cdms to allow our more creative players to be effective. Bissouma must be the priority. Signing Ruben over Bissouma suggests we are trying to fill the cdm and creative issue with one signing which would be typical cheap arsenal. Realistically we need either a cdm and an acm or a creative cm to compliment the dm and Partey in a 4 3 3. Signing Bissouma and Aoura would allow us to play with 3 cms when required and allow one to drop out for ESR in home games and clubs that will sit back and defend. Buendia would have been a good signing however he was more Rw than Acm and we have Pepe who starting to look like a top class player and Saka on the wings. Rumours suggest Bernado Silva isnt happy about his game time at City and he seemed to have a good relationship with Arteta, maybe he could be the link up player we need.
Liam, also Mathaus Pereira may be available from relegated West Bromwich Albion for around £15 million, instead of Neves or Aouar. Yves Bissouma should be Arsenal’s number one priority to partner Partey in midfield.
Ruben neves and Buendia are dissimilar. Ruben is a slightly more mobile version of xhaka, a deep-lying playmaker. I will just accept whatever they sign because i have drastically lowered my expectations for this club since Kroenke has refused to sell the club and Arteta and Edu are still here. I don’t see any reason to think this summer will be different, i’ll just support the team and not hope for anything, that way, I won’t be heartbroken again.
Neves is a half decent player and that is about all. If we are buying him as creative midfielder of supposed real quality , we are in for a huge disappointment . Better then some but not remotely good enough for what we REALLY NEED!
I HOPE WE DO NOT GET HIM.
With you on that JF.
A totally nonsensical signing.
Might as well go for Wjinaldum. Free and is a duracell bunny if you want to look at heat maps.
Totally underwhelming☹
Yep- with you as well JF, we need better. Let’s remember we have Azeez coming through and this boy is a talent.
We hear lots of talk from some about how we had the second best EPL record since Boxing Day so there is something to build on. If Xhaka goes, he will be missed purely because he is the only player we have that slots into CDM naturally. The fact he is not of the standard we demand shows just what we do not need. Will Neves be the improvement? I can’t see it
Neves is a really inconsistent player and often could not get into the Wolves team. We missed a very mobile player in Buendía We badly need another Santi Cazorla.
Surely Arteta and Edu missing out on Buendía gives Kroenke or the Board a reason to sack Arteta an Edu. They have failed again.
Arteta didn’t miss out on Buendia.
The manager submits his wish list , and if sanctioned the clubs “negotiators “ go to work.
Arteta will be as gutted as anyone.
It is the very people who you say should be sacking Arteta are at fault here – once again !
Arteta loyal fans . When are you going to be realistic
Im not gonna slate MA for not getting the players that he possibly wants so I am just throwing this out there… but shouldn’t Arteta be selling the ‘process’ and the club to new recruits?
Surely if he wants a player that desperately he should be camping outside their house and offering to pay their PS5 subscriptions and not be reliant on the ‘negotiation’ team?
I remember when AW used to phone potential targets up before they signed.
Maybe he did but they didn’t trust the ‘process’ like Bertrand and now Buendia.
Yep, this is true.
Very often we read a “personal” call from a clubs manager “selling the club and his vision going forward” can sway the balance (however, sufficient money has to be on the table in the first place).
If we think merely tabling a bid , leaving it there thinking “He’ll join, we are the ARSENAL” we are very much mistaken- those days are fast disappearing.
Hard to imagine for us die hards, but increasingly true.
Shame really. You would have thought that he would learn the personal touch from the master.
But we are talking Mikel ‘Haven’t a Scooby’ Arteta here so maybe Edu turned around and said “Stay the flip away”🤣
Now whats the backup plan for the directors coz other teams are seriously in the market
Granted the window has only just opened, but already I’m concerned.
Our transfer dealings seem to lack a plan in terms of structuring over consecutive windows.
We seem to throw the pieces up in the air, and see where they land.
Looking at price before quality remains an issue.
I don’t mind two CM ( bissouma + Neves)
Instead of One AM, the way Arteta set up, he want to play 433 , we need another attacking RB to compliment Tienery.
I hope you’re having a good gander at that heat map GAI!!! Xhaka moves about as much as the fourth official…it’s like a 3-wheeled shopping cart in a parking lot on a windy day