Liverpool keen to sign Ruben Neves with Jurgen Klopp ‘not too pleased’ with one midfielder - report

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool and Barcelona are prepared to go toe-to-toe to sign Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves.

The Portuguese international’s current deal expires at the end of next season, and it seems the 25-year-old is prepared to run down his contract in favour of a move away from a club he’s been at since 2017.

Neves, 25, has been integral to Wolves’ successes since joining and has helped the club achieve promotion as well as become an established Premier League team once again across his 237 games for the club.

But reports claim he has no desire to extend his current deal and the club may be forced to cash in on the midfielder as we enter the final 18 months of his deal.

Journalist Dani Serrano reporting for the Spanish media outlet El Nacional has claimed Klopp “does not seem to be too pleased with the performance of Fabinho, who is also already in his thirties”.

However, it would appear that Liverpool are not the only European giant who could chase after Neves in the summer. Serrano also goes on to say that “Xavi Hernández is aware that Sergio Busquets has a lot of potential to to go in June, when he is free”.

Fabinho has come under intense scrutiny this summer and with the defensive midfielder nearing 30 and Jurgen Klopp only possessing 18-year-old Stefan Bajcetic as a back-up in that position, Neves could be a viable option.

The Reds had supposedly spent their January budget on forward Cody Gakpo in a £37m deal which confused fans as their midfield looks in dire need of a rebuild. With Wolves not prepared to sell during this window, the summer looks like a more likely time for negotiations to begin.

Of course, Liverpool were linked profusely in the summer with a move for Matheus Nunes, but the former Sporting Lisbon midfielder joined Wolves instead, and whilst there have been rumours of another approach by Liverpool, it’s likely he won’t leave after a single season, with Neves a more achievable deal all things considered.