Barcelona have been linked with Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves for multiple years now, and while the Portuguese midfielder is certainly talented, his fit at Barcelona is not quite clear. Manager Xavi Hernandez is willing to make a concession though.
Neves has been linked with the club often in recent months, with some recent reports even claiming that the club will forge ahead with a deal even if Xavi does not approve of it. Neves is represented by super-agent Jorge Mendes who has close ties with Barcelona and President Joan Laporta.
🚨 Xavi would only accept the arrival of Rúben Neves IF he is the replacement of Franck Kessié. @gerardromero
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) May 23, 2023
According to Gerard Romero, the one situation Xavi would accept his arrival on the condition that he is a replacement for Franck Kessie. Many reports say the Ivorian’s days at the club are numbered after a passable first season in La Liga, although he obviously has a significant say in the matter.
The subtext of that suggestion is that Xavi does not feel that Neves should be an alternative to the outgoing Sergio Busquets. The veteran captain will no doubt leave a void when he leaves, and Xavi has named filling that void that as their number one priority in the market this summer.