Arsenal are reportedly set to extend Granit Xhaka’s tenure at the club, which could provide a potential boost to Manchester United’s ambitions to sign Ruben Neves.
One signing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has to achieve is a replacement for Nemanja Matic in the defensive midfield department and Neves has been one of many names that have been thrown up as possible entries to the club.
The Wolves midfielder is seen as a key signing by many after showing his talents during his time at Wolves and in the Champions League with Porto before his move to the Premier League club.
The 24-year-old was lined up as Xhaka’s replacement at Arsenal, but it appears the Swiss international will sign a new contract to stay at the club, meaning the Gunners are unlikely to opt for Neves.
Neves has already proven his capabilities in the Premier League, as his club secured European football on his return to the Premier League after being promoted in the 2017-18 season.
Other targets for the defensive midfield position include West Ham’s Declan Rice and Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi.
Rice has been the only player likely to be the primary target going into the transfer window, but at the current asking price, it seems unlikely that a deal will be reached with the Hammers.
According to The Express, before the European Championship, Xhaka was negotiating a move away from Arsenal and ready to leave for Italy to join José Mourinho at AS Roma.
During the tournament, the player himself confirmed that his club knew what he “wanted to do”.
However, the talks have collapsed as the two clubs failed to agree on a sale price.
This means that United could have gotten a boost in their search for Neves, as it seems clear that the club have had a free run to sign the star.
However, any potential deal will only happen once the situation with Paul Pogba clears up, the outlet reports.
And as it stands, United is unlikely to resolve Pogba’s situation before the end of the transfer period, and Jesse Lingard’s contract also expires next summer.
United fans are now hoping the club will sort out the complications in the coming weeks and in doing so will hopefully secure Neves in the process.
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