Ruben Neves has revealed ‘almost everything was ready’ for him to leave Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the summer. Now, for the first time, Neves has opened up on his situation and revealed that he genuinely believed his time at Wolves had come to an end when he made those comments following the Liverpool game in May.
Ruben Neves said: “It’s football, you never know what will happen in football. At that time almost everything was ready for me to go, but this is football and you can see I am completely focused on being here. What I am doing and what the team is doing since the start of the season means that I am 100 per cent focused on here. I want to keep going and have another great season here.”
Wolves’ hierarchy are keen to tie Neves down to a new contract to avoid a situation where he enters the final 12 months of his deal next summer. Unsurprisingly, Neves wasn’t keen to be drawn on how those talks are progressing.
Ruben Neves said: “There’s nothing about that at the moment, I’m thinking about playing and to keep playing the way I am right now. We have a long journey to go this season so that’s where I will focus myself.”
Neves has welcomed five new players into Wolves’ dressing room this summer and watched several pillars of the club’s recent success depart. Wolves have spent in excess of £100million on Nathan Collins, Goncalo Guedes, Matheus Nunes, Sasa Kalajdzic and Boubacar Traore – who joined on loan from Metz on deadline day with an option to make it permanent. Everyone connected with Wolves was disappointed with the way last season petered out. Neves is happy to lead Lage’s new-look team in search of European football this time around.
Bruno lage added: “I am really happy here, like I always say. After the last game last season, I said that we have a short career to follow our dreams, but everyone knows I’m really happy here as well. There’s no secrets with that. I had a chance to go, I didn’t go and I stayed, and I will give 200 per cent for this club because they have given me a lot. They’ve given me the best things I’ve had in football for now and I want to give everything for them. I will give my best to help the club.”