Ex-Wolves player hints Ruben Neves has picked next club after Man Utd transfer links

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Ruben Neves will join Real Madrid on a free transfer in a blow to Manchester United's hopes, according to former Al Hilal player Al Jaber. The Red Devils were eyeing Neves' dwindling contract as a potential opportunity .

Neves, 28, would cost in the region of £20million to sign from Al Hilal with his deal set to expire in little over six months . The former Wolves star could bring significant wage demands after commanding £350,000-a-week in Saudi Arabia, however.

Signing a central midfielder is a priority for United, who have been linked with a number of players including Carlos Baleba, Conor Gallagher , Adam Wharton and Elliot Anderson. It appears Neves could prove elusive, with Los Blancos open to securing a low-risk, high-reward deal.

Jaber, who also spent time at Molineux in 2000, claimed on MBC that Neves is set to leave for free and will join the Spanish giants. “I fear Neves will move from Al Hilal to Real Madrid for free after his contract expires at the end of this season," he said.

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"There are English Premier League clubs that want to sign Neves, offering three-year contracts – until he is 31. There is Real Madrid, and I’m sure there are other clubs interested in Neves.”

The news will come as a blow after it emerged that Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo is set to choose Manchester City over Old Trafford . The Cherries ace is keen to head to the Etihad and is available £65m in the summer.

Ruben Amorim met with Semenyo in the summer, but United's attempts appear to have failed. The Portuguese coach has been coy over the club's January plans but only wants players who will impact United in the long term.

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"We'll see," Amorim said when asked if money was available for the transfer window. "The only thing we know is that we only would try to bring players that we think are going to be the future.

"It's not going to be to save something in this moment, to cope with the losses of three players for AFCON. "It’s not going to be like that, even if we try to bring one player, maybe it's not the position that we need more.

"We will try to bring now – and in the end of the season – players that are perfect for our future. I don't know what is going to happen, but it's possible that we can do something."

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