Manchester United will reportedly target Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves if they fail in their pursuit of Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong.
Throughout the summer window, the Red Devils have been in talks with the Catalan giants over a deal for De Jong, who is believed to be Erik ten Hag's primary target.
Barca are allegedly prepared to cash in on the Dutchman due to their financial predicament, although the player has expressed on several occasions that he has no intentions of leaving Camp Nou.
A recent report claims that United have made a breakthrough in negotiations to sign De Jong as they have agreed to pay the £17m that the midfielder is owed by Barcelona in deferred wages.
However, De Jong's potential switch to Old Trafford remains in doubt, leaving Man United to consider potential alternatives with under five weeks of the transfer window remaining.
© Reuters
According to Sky Sports News, Ten Hag's side will consider marking a move for Neves should they fail in their attempts to lure De Jong to the club this summer.
The report adds that the Red Devils have held a long-standing interest in the 25-year-old, who has two years remaining on his contract at Molineux.
Since joining Wolves from Porto in 2017, Neves has been an influential player for the club, scoring 24 goals and registering 12 assists in 212 appearances across all competitions.
United may face competition for Neves, who has previously attracted interest from North London duo Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur as well as Barcelona.
© Reuters
In April, Wolves head coach Bruno Lage placed a £100m price tag on the Portugal international and suggested that the club should look to offer the midfielder a new contract.
"What I know is we have a special player here with us," Lage told reporters, via Sky Sports News.
"What he is doing this season is very good. I think also the way we play, he can show a better Ruben, and also the way he plays puts our team on a different level.
"When you have that player, the best thing to do is improve his salary and years of contract. But who knows, when you have a top player like him in that specific position, that can defend and attack, and is a top professional and a great man, the big teams are there with £100m to buy these kinds of players."
Man United are also believed to be keeping tabs on Leicester City's Youri Tielemans, who could be available for around £30m this summer as he has entered the final 12 months of his contract.
Oliver Thomas
