Arsenal are aiming to sign a midfielder in the January transfer window, and have been linked with former Wolves star Ruben Neves in recent weeks.
The Portugal international left Wolves for Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal this summer for a fee of around £47m.
He has already been linked with a return to the Premier League, despite the 26-year-old thriving at the top of the SPL, and Arsenal emerged as a potential destination given Thomas Partey’s injury struggles.
Mikel Arteta was reportedly very keen on signing him, but he has now been dealt a blow as it appears Neves will not be moving in January.
David Ornstein shares Arsenal transfer blow
Journalist David Ornstein has now revealed in The Athletic that Neves is expected to stay at Al-Hilal this January despite links to Arsenal and Newcastle.
His report has revealed that Neves is very happy at his club, who are four points clear at the top of the Saudi Premier League, and there have been no approaches for the central midfielder.
Neves was the youngest Champions League captain ever at Porto prior to his move to Wolves, and he enjoyed an excellent few years at Molineux.
A move felt inevitable for a while, but there was some surprise that he elected to go to Al-Hilal, with top clubs including Arsenal interested in him before.
Given his vast experience in the Premier League, Neves could have been an attractive option to make an immediate impact in the January window, but this deal now appears to be off the cards.
Who can Arsenal sign in January?
With Neves seemingly off the cards, as well as Benfica’s Joao Neves, Arsenal will need to think outside the box when it comes to midfield reinforcements in January.
Edu Gaspar has been scouting the Brazilian market, with international starter Andre linked following Fluminense’s Copa Libertadores triumph, whilst Sao Paolo’s Pablo Maia is also a target.
Arsenal will likely target cheaper players after a summer of heavy spending, meaning that Neves, who currently earns over £290k each week, will have been out of the club’s price range anyway despite Arteta’s admiration for him.
It is clear that Arsenal need a midfielder as a priority, but the success of Declan Rice at both the base of midfield and in a more advanced role means there can be some flexibility over their targets.
The likes of Douglas Luiz and Martin Zubimendi may be viewed as dream additions, but neither deal looks possible in January, and Arsenal will likely have to gamble on a lesser-proven player and hope they can have a quick impact with limited adaptation time.
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