Man United Highjacked Chelsea Top transfer target as £50m Playmaker arrives at London Carrington for Man united medical after signing 5yrs deal with the Club last night
Manchester United’s plans for the January transfer window appear to have shifted significantly, with fresh reports from Spain suggesting the club are moving decisively in their pursuit of Al-Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves.
The change in approach comes on the back of one of United’s most convincing performances in recent memory, as they comprehensively outplayed Manchester City at Old Trafford. Despite having only a few days to work with the squad, caretaker manager Michael Carrick made several bold tactical and selection decisions that paid off emphatically. The 2–0 scoreline barely reflected United’s dominance, as they created enough chances to score several more, while goalkeeper Senne Lammens was largely untested at the other end.
Carrick’s switch to a 4-2-3-1 formation, which saw Bruno Fernandes operating higher up the pitch and Kobbie Mainoo partnering Casemiro in midfield, brought a level of control and balance that had been missing for much of the past year under Ruben Amorim’s three-man defensive setup. However, the new system also highlighted a glaring issue: a lack of depth in central midfield, with Manuel Ugarte the only senior option available from the bench.
While United had initially planned to overhaul their midfield in the summer, with Casemiro’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, circumstances now appear to be accelerating that timeline. According to Fichajes, the club have submitted a formal bid of around €23 million for Neves, who emerged as a priority target last month.
With Neves’ contract due to run out in June, Al-Hilal face the prospect of losing him for nothing if they do not sell now. Despite leading the Saudi Pro League comfortably and remaining unbeaten, the club are reportedly open to accepting United’s offer due to its financial appeal.
From United’s point of view, Neves represents a high-quality, experienced option who is still in his prime and well-versed in the Premier League. At that price, the move is seen as a sensible winter investment that would strengthen the squad immediately without compromising plans for the summer rebuild.
