Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Ruben Neves joins Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal
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In contrast to recent moves for players in the twilight of their careers, Neves still has his prime years ahead of him.
PHOTO: AFP
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PARIS – Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Ruben Neves on Friday became the latest major player to move to Saudi Arabia, with the Portuguese international joining Al-Hilal.
The midfielder, who signed his contract in Paris, will be playing for the Saudi team on a three-year deal.
He leaves Wolves after six seasons for a “club record fee”, the English Premier League football side announced, without disclosing financial details but reported to be around €55 million (S$80 million).
“What an unbelievable journey. A big thank you to every single person I had the chance to work with, every single moment was unforgettable,” a tearful Neves said in an emotional farewell video.
“To all of the players who were part of the club during the last six years, you are friends for life. The way we protected the pack was really incredible.
“I leave as a player, but I will always be a wolf. Thank you for everything.”
The 26-year-old, who arrived at Wolves from Porto, had one year on his contract left at Molineux.
Al-Hilal are the most decorated club in Saudi Arabia and Asia, having won 66 trophies, and hold the record for league and Asian Champions League titles with 18 and four respectively.
Boosting the squad is a priority for the Riyadh-based club, who have lost their league and Champions League crowns. Spanish media reports said they are also keen on Chelsea defender Kalidou Koulibaly and Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva.
Neves will play in the Saudi Pro League alongside Al-Ittihad’s Karim Benzema, 35, N’Golo Kante, 32, and Al-Nassr’s Cristiano Ronaldo, 38, in what is expected to be just the start of a series of moves for stars based in Europe.
Thanks to its oil riches, Saudi Arabia has swiftly achieved a prominent role in world sports, dishing out billions of dollars in the process.
But in contrast to recent moves for players in the twilight of their careers, Neves still has his prime years ahead of him and Barcelona had held a long-term interest in him.
The huge deal, on the other hand, eases Wolves’ financial woes.
They have been under pressure to sell to avoid breaching Premier League spending rules after splashing out £150 million (S$258 million) on transfers over the past 12 months.
Neves has made 253 appearances for Wolves, scoring 30 goals, since arriving in 2017.
He helped them win promotion from the Championship a year later and then to two consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League.
Wolves also reached the Europa League quarter-finals in 2020, but have struggled to replicate that success and finished 13th last season. AFP, REUTERS
