For years, Arsenal have been linked with Ruben Neves.
Even since before the Portuguese midfielder helped Wolverhampton Wanderers win Premier League promotion, there was speculation about a transfer to the Gunners.
Still only 24, the rumour about moving to Arsenal has cropped up again in recent weeks.
And according to The Athletic, Neves is still very much on the North Londoners’ radar and with less than a week left in the transfer window, it’ll be fascinating to see if anything materialises.
Let’s face it, Edu and Mikel Arteta desperately need more midfield options during the second half of the Premier League campaign, with the team out of every other competition.
However, one figure unhappy with the Neves prospect is Jay Bothroyd.
The former Arsenal striker, who came through the Hale End academy, remains a vocal supporter of the Emirates Stadium outfit on Twitter.
And the 39-year-old has admitted on social media that he doesn’t want his first club to sign Neves, claiming that a transfer of Yves Bissouma at Brighton & Hove Albion would be a better alternative.
Brilliant
He’s less of a liability than Xhaka in terms of discipline, with the Switzerland international famous for receiving red cards at this point.
However, the former Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder seldom gets the respect he deserves from Arsenal supporters and it would appear as if Bothroyd isn’t a fan, either.
The Gunners’ goal must be to beef up their midfield options, not to sign a better player than Xhaka.
Because this is a player who Arteta, Unai Emery and Arsene Wenger all loved, and Jose Mourinho almost signed him last summer.
Xhaka, discipline problems aside, is a brilliant footballer and it’s genuinely debateable as to whether Neves is an upgrade, like Bothroyd says.
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