Midfielder rejected move to Liverpool this summer in favor of transfer to Barcelona in 2023 - Reports
According to Spanish media outlet Sport, as reported by Liverpool Echo, Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves rejected a move to Liverpool, in a bid to join Barcelona in 2023.
Neves is one of the standout players for Bruno Lage's side. The midfielder is an affluent passer who possesses tremendous shooting prowess.
The Reds, meanwhile, have struggled in their midfield department due to several injury issues at the start of the season. The club acquired Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus to solve their problems.
That decision, however, came as an after-effect of Neves refusing to join the club as he has already set his sights on a move to Barcelona next season. The Catalan club is the player's dream destination.
The 25-year-old has been an exceptional player for Wolves since joining the club back in 2017 from FC Porto. He has made 220 appearances for the team, scoring 25 goals and assisting 12 more.
However, his contract at the Molineux Stadium is set to expire next season. Hence, potential suitors can get the player at a fairly reasonable price next summer.
The Blaugranas have identified Neves as a long-term replacement for club captain Sergio Busquets. The latter's contract is set to expire next summer and he is not expected to renew as a move to the MLS is on the cards.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp opened up on how 2022 FIFA World Cup will effect their season
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is on the horizon as the tournament in Qatar starts on November 20. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp recently shared his views on how the event will affect his team's season.
Many superstars of the Reds will be involved in the quadrennial tournament. While speaking about it, here's what the German had to say (via The Liverpool Echo):
"I don't know how the World Cup will affect the Premier League. The boys come back and play a week later. Usually, you relax two to three weeks, then go again. If you are in the final, you have two days. It's a really long season. I don't think it's a good idea but that's how it is.
"For us, the next six weeks are very important. We didn't have the start we wanted. For explainable and unexplainable reasons. That's now gone. Here we go, collect points back."