Arsenal are keen to bolster their midfield ranks in the January transfer window, and their next acquisition may take just three years. The Gunners have been connected with former Wolves star Ruben Neves, who has long been admired in the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta particularly advanced his central midfield in the summer transfer window as part of his first reshuffle. The Gunners paid £105 million to clinch the title from Declan Rice from West Ham, and the England foreigner was touted as a long-term captain in north London.
Arsenal also took on a threat by buying Kai Havertz from Chelsea, despite his disappointing spell at Stamford Bridge. The German foreigner has also struggled to find his most productive form with the Gunners, but his versatility has come in handy, being deployed as a No. 8, on the wing and also as a makeshift No. 9.
Injuries have prompted Arteta to push for a return to the transfer market in search of more reinforcements in midfield, with Thomas Partey ruled out for several weeks and tipped with an exit in January. According to talkSPORT, the Gunners are expected to push for Al Hilal midfielder Neves. in January and hope to deflect Newcastle’s decision.
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Arsenal have been heavily linked with the Portugal international over the past three years and sporting director Edu was desperate to lure him away from Molineux during that time. However, the Gunners never managed to strike a deal with Wolves during that time and ultimately will now need to negotiate with Al Hilal.
Newcastle are also keen on Neves and have identified the 26-year-old as the ideal replacement for Sandro Tonali, who will miss the remainder of the season due to a ban for breaching betting regulations prior to his move to Tyneside. Eddie Howe’s side are only pushing for a loan move, content that they can bolster their ranks more aggressively at the end of the season.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Interest Fund (PIF) owns the Magpies and Al Hilal so it was thought a surprise loan might be green-lighted because it would strengthen Newcastle’s push to qualify for the Champions League again and provide further exposure for the Saudi Pro League.
However, it is unclear whether this move will be allowed, as Premier League clubs will vote on whether loan transfers between two organisations owned by the same user or organisation will be allowed. The final results of this can make the difference between Neves signing for the Magpies or Arsenal.
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