Man Utd linked with cut price £17m Neves deal to solve midfield crisis

MANCHESTER UNITED have been linked with a surprise transfer for Ruben Neves.

The Red Devils are suffering something of a midfield crisis this season with the imbalance of the pivot used by Ruben Amorim 's 3-4-3 system causing a major headache.

2 Man Utd are reportedly considering a shock move for Ruben Neves Credit: Getty

2 Neves is said to be keen on a return to Europe and is available for a cut-price fee of £17m Credit: Getty

However, reports suggest United could look to solve this problem by targeting the recruitment of former Wolves star Neves for a cut-price fee.

According to the Daily Briefing , United hold interest in the Portuguese midfielder, who currently plays for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia .

It is claimed the 28-year-old is keen on a return to Europe .

Furthermore, the report adds he could be available for as little as £17million.

It would be a stunning twist, considering Neves actually faced off against Amorim - then playing for Benfica - in late April 2015, though they did not share minutes on the pitch.

Amorim was named on the bench for Benfica in that game while in the twilight of his career, and did not play for them again after that season, while then-teenage Neves was in midfield for Porto alongside current United star Casemiro .

Neves joined the flood of stars who headed to the Middle East after Cristiano Ronaldo in 2023, and reportedly signed a contract worth around £300,000 a week.

He left Wolves for a club record £47m fee after spending six years with the Molineux outfit - during which time he had also frequently been linked with a move to Old Trafford .

Before he was at Wolves, Neves had captained boyhood club Porto in the Champions League .

He played 177 times for Wolves in the Premier League, making a name for himself scoring many of his 21 goals from outside the penalty box.

One such goal ironically came against the Red Devils in August 2019, with a 25-yard curler from the edge of the area salvaging a draw.

Despite going to play outside a major European league, Neves has remained a regular figure in the Portuguese national team.

He scored the winning penalty in the Uefa Nations League final against Spain earlier this year, coming off the bench at half-time to lock down the midfield against the European champions.

MANCHESTER UNITED'S miserable start to the season continued after they were brushed aside by neighbours Man City.

Ruben Amorim's side were unable to come back with a bang after the international break, falling to a 3-0 away defeat.

Phil Foden opened the scoring for City after just 18 minutes with a glancing header that gave Altay Bayindir - keeping his spot despite the arrival on Ssnne Lammens - little chance to stop.

While Erling Haaland did what he does best by bagging a second-half brace to put the hosts out of reach.

United now sit 14th in the table, with City leapfrogging them with their second win of the season.

Here's how SunSport's Katherine Walsh rated each Man Utd players performance...