Former Premier League midfielder says he was’very close’ to joining Barcelona last summer

According to research by barcauniversal, the 2022-23 season signaled the end of an era for Barcelona in a variety of ways. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets’ exits resulted in the loss of two of the team’s essential pillars, and while Barcelona did have a good deputy at left-back, the pivot position remains vacant.

Ruben Neves was one of the alternatives discussed in Catalonia’s offices at the time. The then-Wolverhampton Wanderers player was regarded as a suitable match, and Barcelona was seriously contemplating signing him. Despite the progress of the discussions, everything broke apart swiftly, and the player finally relocated to Saudi Arabia.

Neves confirmed the rumour.

In a recent interview (h/t SPORT), the Portuguese midfielder said that he was on the point of signing with Barcelona. In addition, two more prominent European teams were interested in signing him.

“I came close to joining three different clubs, but it never happened. I became frustrated and decided to join Al Hilal. I didn’t want to divulge any names, but one of the teams was Barcelona. I was extremely close to joining them, just as I was with Arsenal.”

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In the same interview, the 26-year-old stated that he would consider returning to Europe if the proper opportunity arose, but that he was convinced that the Saudi Pro League will catch up with Europe sooner rather than later.

Temporary Fix

Oriol Romeu was Xavi’s summer addition, and he pledged to take over the defensive midfield. His form has dipped significantly, and he is no longer a regular starter for the squad.

As a result, the management has turned to Andreas Christensen in recent games, and the Dane has performed admirably in his new role. He provided a wonderful assist in Barcelona’s recent victory against Getafe, and it is reasonable to say that he is adjusting to his new position. Barcelona will be looking for a new pivot in June, and it’s unclear whether Neves is still on their radar.