Wolverhampton Wanderers 'confident of keeping Ruben Neves amid Manchester United link'

The Portugal international's future continues to be called into question, with Manchester United still said to be considering moving for the midfielder in the coming weeks.

The Red Devils allegedly view Neves as an alternative to Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, with the club still struggling to finalise a deal for the Netherlands international.

Barcelona have also been credited with an interest, although it is believed that the Catalan outfit would prefer to wait until the summer of 2023 to sign the Portuguese.

According to Sky Sports News, despite the ongoing transfer speculation, Wolves are confident that they will keep hold of their key midfielder for the 2022-23 season.

Earlier this summer, it was reported that Wolves had put a £70m valuation on Neves in a bid to ward off potential suitors in the current market.

The midfielder has made 212 appearances for Wolves since moving to Molineux from Porto in July 2017, including 36 outings in all competitions last season.

Neves contributed four goals and two assists in 33 Premier League appearances in 2021-22, but his long-term future at the club is in doubt, as his current deal is due to expire in June 2024, and there are currently no signs that he will be penning an extension.

The former Porto youngster, who has been capped on 30 occasions by Portugal, has contributed 24 goals and 12 assists for Wolves during his five seasons at the club, proving himself to be a strong performer in the Premier League after making the step up from the Championship.

Man United have only made three signings during this summer's transfer window, bringing in Tyrell Malacia and Lisandro Martinez from Feyenoord and Ajax respectively, while Christian Eriksen has arrived on a free transfer.

The club have spent the last two months in negotiations with Barcelona over a deal for De Jong, but the Dutchman could end up staying at Camp Nou despite the speculation surrounding his future.

Barcelona are not expected to move for another midfielder this summer if De Jong departs, with Franck Kessie arriving to boost that area of the field.

Arsenal were also credited with an interest in Neves earlier in the window, but talk of a potential switch to the Emirates Stadium has quietened over the last few weeks.