Ruben Neves: Record-breaking Transfer to Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia Shakes the Football World!

Ruben Neves has officially left Wolves to join Al Hilal in a permanent transfer, setting a new club record with a transfer fee of £47m. The 26-year-old midfielder's contract at Molineux was set to expire next summer, and despite previous speculation linking him to Manchester United, he has ultimately chosen to join the Saudi Pro League side for a reported fee of £47m.

During his time at Molineux, the Portugal midfielder showcased his prowess by scoring an impressive 30 goals in 253 appearances over a span of six seasons. Wolves, in a statement, acknowledged the significant impact he made on the pitch in gold and black, highlighting his exceptional contribution as the only player to feature in over 250 matches in the club's history.

During the 2022/23 Premier League season, Portuguese midfielder Neves proved his worth for Wolves by scoring six goals and providing one assist in 35 appearances. His decision to leave Champions League-chasing Porto for the Championship lights of the Black Country marked the beginning of a remarkable journey for both Neves and the Wolves, laying the groundwork for the renowned team they have become today.

'Neves will go down as one of Wolves' best ever players'

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Neves is the latest star to make the move to the Saudi Pro League

"We are incredibly grateful for Ruben's contributions to the club over the past six years. His dedication and passion as a player, along with his exemplary character off the field, have made him a true role model.

Ruben truly embodies the qualities we seek when recruiting players for our football club – leadership, humility, and exceptional talent. His presence has elevated Wolves to new heights."

Neves joined Wolves from Porto in July 2017 and has since made 253 appearances for the club. He will always be remembered as one of the greatest players in the history of our club, and we are immensely thankful for his contributions. We extend our warmest wishes to him and his family for all their future endeavors.

Neves is set to join the Saudi Pro League, following in the footsteps of his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo, who made the move to Al Nassr in December of last year.

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Karim Benzema completed his move to Al Ittihad earlier this summer

Al Ittihad, led by former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo, has secured the services of Karim Benzema, the esteemed Ballon d'Or recipient and former Real Madrid forward, as well as N'Golo Kante, the ex-Chelsea midfielder. Additionally, there are reports indicating that Saudi Arabian clubs have shown interest in Chelsea's Kalidou Koulibaly and Hakim Ziyech, while Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez from Manchester City are considered as potential targets for Gulf State clubs.

Ceferin: Saudi Pro League no threat to European football

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin stated on Sunday that European football should not fear the possibility of players leaving for Saudi Arabian clubs. Ceferin believes that investing in aging stars is a mistake for the country.

Several high-profile football players, including Ronaldo and Benzema, have recently signed lucrative deals with Saudi Arabian clubs, receiving substantial sums of money. Notably, offers were also extended to Lionel Messi and Luka Modric. These players have an impressive track record, having collectively won every Ballon d'Or since 2008, despite all of them being at least 35 years old. The trend of players joining Saudi clubs is expected to continue, as four prominent teams were recently nationalized under the majority ownership of the Public Investment Fund, which is overseen by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

"I believe that this situation will primarily be detrimental to Saudi Arabian football," stated UEFA president Ceferin in a recent interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS when asked about his concerns regarding a potential player exodus. His response was resolute and unwavering: "No, no, no."

The reason this poses a problem for them is due to the fact that they need to allocate resources towards investing in academies, hiring coaches, and nurturing the growth of their own players.

Furthermore, he emphasized, "Relying on a system of purchasing players who are nearing retirement is not conducive to the development of football. This was a similar error made in China, where they brought in players who were already past their prime."

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