Jorge Mendes offers Ruben Neves with Chelsea's Jorginho and Premier League midfielder also linked to Barcelona - Reports
Portuguese super agent Jorge Mendes has offered Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves to Barcelona ahead of the January transfer window, as per Mundo Deportivo.
The Portugal international is being considered by the Blaugrana and is currently valued at €40 million. Chelsea's Jorginho and Leicester City's Youri Tielemans are also on the agenda for the Catalan giants.
The duo are on contracts that are set to expire in the summer of 2023. The Blues and the Foxes could, hence, be open to doing business in January as they may not want to risk losing either on a free transfer.
N'Golo Kante was also on Barcelona's radar after the Chelsea star turned down an initial contract offer from the Blues. The Frenchman's deal expires at the end of the season but he is currently out for three to four months with an injury.
Barca are smart to start thinking about signing a midfielder considering they are eager to sell Frenkie de Jong. Sergio Busquets is also expected to leave at the end of the season.
This could create a void that will need filling. Jorginho, Neves, and Tielemans are all tried-and-tested midfielders in one of the most competitive leagues in the world.
Neves' contract expires in the summer of 2024 but Barcelona could get a favorable arrangement for a potential transfer considering their good relationship with Mendes. Jorginho and Tielemans, meanwhile, are two financially sound options.
Moreover, they have the experience needed to be a leader in manager Xavi Hernandez's midfield, which contains two very young footballers in Pedri (19) and Gavi (18).
Joao Santos drops Barcelona hint but says Jorginho will prioritize Chelsea
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Agent Joao Santos hinted that he may have offered his client, Jorginho, during his recent trip to Spain. Speaking about his recent business-related voyage, Mendes told TuttoMercatoWeb (h/t GOAL):
"I work in football, I have been to Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, but also in other parts such as Lyon. I’m Jorginho’s agent, I may have talked about him [to Barcelona] but also about others…”
However, Mendes claims that the Italy international will prioritize Chelsea amidst a fast-expiring contract. He continued:
"We are due in June. We prioritize Chelsea and we are moving towards it. Another priority for Jorginho is to do well with the national team."
This could be a strong sign that the former Napoli midfielder will be conducive to a new offer from the Blues if the terms suit his demands.