Club need reinforcements in midfield and either of the duo could fit into their tight budget
Manchester United are considering a January deal for Al-Hilal’s Ruben Neves to bolster their midfield.
United sacked head coach Ruben Amorim last week and have appointed Michael Carrick as interim. But the club are well aware that they urgently need options in midfield if they are to accomplish the goal they have set out for the 44-year-old, namely to qualify for European competition next season, with 17 games to go. United are eighth in the table but only three points off the top four.
Carrick himself is a midfielder, and as a manager has shown a propensity for a more possession-based style of play, so he’ll be more aware than anyone of the weaknesses in United’s central areas.
Neves is only 28 years old and is available for around £20m, which fits into United’s tight budget.
Another option that has been mooted is Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente. He is 30 years old, could be available for around £30m, and perhaps has more recent experience playing at the top level in Europe than Neves, who joined Al-Hilal in 2023.
