Al Hilal midfielder Rúben Neves linked with Real Madrid as Premier League clubs circle

Former Al Hilal striker Sami Al-Jaber believes Rúben Neves could leave the Saudi Pro League club for Real Madrid when his contract expires next summer.

The 28-year-old Portugal midfielder left Wolverhampton Wanderers for Al Hilal in a club record deal worth £47m two and a half years ago. He has since gone on to make 113 appearances for the Riyadh-based side, scoring 15 goals, but is reportedly keen to resume his career in Europe at the conclusion of his current deal.

That has piqued the interest of several Premier League clubs, but Al-Jaber believes Real Madrid could be favourites to sign the former Wolves captain as they seek a player capable of pulling the strings in midfield.

‘I fear Rúben Neves will move from Al Hilal to Real Madrid for free’

“I fear Neves will move from Al Hilal to Real Madrid for free after his contract with the club expires at the end of this season,” said Al-Jaber. “There are Premier League clubs that want to sign Neves, and the contracts they are offering him are for three years, meaning until he turns 31. 

“Real Madrid is also interested, and I’m sure there are other clubs that want Neves.”

While Neves won a league and cup double in his first season at Al Hilal, he has been candid about the role of a reputed £300,000 a week salary in tempting him away from the English top flight.

“One of the things is the money,” he told the BBC when asked why he elected to leave European football. “You cannot hide that. But when we see the project – and I know a lot of people think we say this just to say it, but it’s not true – when they present us with the project, it’s a very big project. 

“People have no idea how the country is improving and how the football is improving, and how the football can be in a few years.”

Why Neves could be looking to leave Saudi Arabia

Be that as it may, Neves now appears to have fulfilled his financial and sporting objectives in the Saudi capital, with Al Hilal reportedly prepared to sell him in January in an effort to recoup some of their initial outlay.   

While Madrid would doubtless prefer to secure the player on a free transfer, a projected asking price of about £15m is unlikely to prove prohibitive. 

Neves has also been linked with English clubs including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.

While Neves would undoubtedly represent good value, it remains to be seen whether the likes of Manchester United would prioritise a move for him over younger midfield targets with a higher potential sell-on value. United have been linked with Angelo Stiller of Stuttgart, a 24-year-old Germany international, as well as Sporting midfielder Morten Hjulmand, 26, and 21-year-old Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace.

Stiller and Wharton have also been among rumoured midfield targets for Real, although neither would come cheap. Should the club seek a less costly option, Neves would represent a logical alternative.