Ruben Neves

[GLASGOWOLF]

Just how good is this guy in relation to generations of Wolves players.

For me I have seen no one as good since late 70's of Hibbitt, Carr, Bailey etc.
Can he go on and become a legend, I am not sure he'll stay long enough to become a true club legend, I expect him to do one more season with us before moving on, but he has the talent to be one of the best players to ever pull on a Wolves shirt....

How many think he's the best they have seen?

I think we had better players in the 70's but not many

 

[Parkins left foot]

As a midfielder probably yes as not sure that you can compare now with the 1970's despite my immense admiration for Hibbitt & Bailey

A legend - no, not yet. Bully was a legend but took him more than 1 year to achieve that status

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It's a tight call between him and Robbie Keane. Keano was obscenely talented but when we had him, he wasn't as fully developed as Ruben is (mind you, he was still only 19 when we sold him). Turned into more of a pure poacher as his career progressed - at the whim of clubs that owned him, and he was brilliant at it - but he could have been a lot more than that. 68 international goals, wow. Crazy numbers.

Beyond that then Matt Murray as I genuinely believe he could have been an England great, but we'll never know.

Neves is an incredible footballer. I don't think we'll get more than one more year out of him, he has no business playing outside of the Champions League really. Having watched a fair amount of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea this season, I'm pretty sure he'd walk into their current central midfields as it is.

 

[Tony Towner]

My first game was 1980, so I saw the League Cup winning team although their best days were behind them. In 38 years Neves is the most talented midfield player to wear a Wolves shirt by a country mile. I don't think you can compare versus other positions though.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Oh yeah, definitely the best CM I've ever seen for us. As much as I adore him, Alex Rae was winning that particular competition by a country mile 12 months ago and he's not in the same galaxy.

 

[Johnny75]

Neves is an incredible footballer. I don't think we'll get more than one more year out of him, he has no business playing outside of the Champions League really. Having watched a fair amount of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea this season, I'm pretty sure he'd walk into their current central midfields as it is.

If I was Chelsea I'd buy bidding silly money and pairing him with Kante in that midfield. He'd be incredible picking passes to Hazard and Willian for fun.

I don't think I've seen as talented a footballer in a Wolves strip than him in my lifetime (not as old as TT), I don't think anybody runs him close, not even Keane. I'd like him to be here for another couple of years but I'm not sure we'll even see him in a Wolves kit next season.

FWIW I think Huddlestone was our most talented midfielder before Neves was here and that's a long time ago.

 

[Jinky]

Best player I've ever seen in a Wolves shirt. The end.

 

[Parkins left foot]

We will go up & think that we will get 1 more year from him - after that who knows?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

FWIW I think Huddlestone was our most talented midfielder before Neves was here and that's a long time ago.

Liked him a hell of a lot but a) he wasn't ours b) he got Hoddled before the end c) 13 games was the extent of his involvement for us (Chris Marsden only played eight, which is why I'm always reticent to put him right near the top too. Brilliant, but it's a fraction of a season we're talking about)

Huddlestone is a proper waste of talent, no way should he have been moving to the likes of Hull in his mid 20s.

 

[Paul]

Personally think he'll go for an astronomical amount of money at the end of next season but the exciting part is at 21 how good is he going to get ???

 

[Lycan]

There's only one midfield in the country that he wouldn't improve straight away and even City would be mad not to buy him given the player that he could grow to be.

In 10 years time he could be in the same league as Pirlo, Xabi Alonso, Modric, Guardiola, Carrick etc.

He wont be with us for long but I'll never forget watching him play for us and will always follow his career. Truly wonderful footballer.

 

[jd1981]

No question for me I’ve been going since December 86 and he’s the best player I’ve seen in a Wolves shirt. Keano was ridiculous for his age but for me Neves has the edge on him. When he does move on I won’t begrudge him or be bitter just grateful he wore our shirt.

 

[Norman Deeley]

He's just beautiful to watch isn't he? Hull away for me was the moment I realised he was very, very special. Bazza with a 5 yard pass to him, he's 30 yards out and bang, it's in the far corner. Apparently he's scored more goals than he has had touches in the opponents' penalty areas

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Apparently he's scored more goals than he has had touches in the opponents' penalty areas

Why run all that way when you can just ping it in from 30 yards...

He was incredibly unlucky not to score at Boro. They were two excellent saves from Randolph, unbelievably good strikes from a position of seemingly no danger.

 

[slink]

If/when Neves does move on then i don't think any fan will begrudge him the chance to play at the very top as he should not be here anyway. The mad thing is that if all goes well then he could well give us more than 1 season in the Premier League and he will only move to those clubs in the Champions League who have the capability of signing various other midfielders for ridiculous amounts of money. So while i expect him to move on within the next 2 years, he's still young, will cost an absolute fortune and this club is ambitious so a tiny bit of me is hopeful that we can progress rather quickly in to being a club where his talent isn't wasted.

 

[Peter_Knowles_Ghost]

If he has a good World Cup with Portugal I could see a couple of cheeky bids for him in the summer. More likely though is him having a stormer of a season with us pre-christmas and then a significant offer coming in January from one of the big boys. It's only a matter of time, unfortunately - a matter of when, not if. I've been watching Wolves for fifty years and he is definitely the best footballer to have pulled on the old gold shirt for us; so when he goes, it will be so long, Ruben, thanks for the memories and we wish you the very best for the rest of your career.

 

[Langers]

He's just beautiful to watch isn't he? Hull away for me was the moment I realised he was very, very special. Bazza with a 5 yard pass to him, he's 30 yards out and bang, it's in the far corner. Apparently he's scored more goals than he has had touches in the opponents' penalty areas

His league debut for me. That pass out to Doherty, just insane.

His unveiling with the new away kit was probably the most excited I've ever been by an official tweet. But even for the fee we paid for him, I didn't think he'd be THIS good.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

He's genuinely improved as the season has gone on. Look at the poll we did on Player of the Season so far at around the halfway point, he didn't get many votes. He'd been great, but not the real standout. However since Christmas he has been out of this world.

I'm sticking with what I said about six months ago - he's the closest I've seen in world football to Paul Scholes since he retired.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

the most excited I've ever been by an official tweet.

https://twitter.com/Wolves/status/331688932402155520

 

[Nando]

I'm not overly concerned about the prospects of an excellent World Cup showing leading to an early departure.

Portugal, despite the fact they now have plenty of very, very good players (it's a better squad than Euro 16 by a distance) still set out to contain and I never see Ruben really thriving in such a team.

The Mendes connection will also put off plenty of suitors. None of the top six have done a deal with him for a long time, barring City really.

City is the obvious opportunity for him, given the advancing years of Fernandinho and Silva. I'd never begrudge somebody, particularly somebody who plays pretty much an identical role, the opportunity to work with Pep.

Outside of this country, you're looking at very few clubs who could afford him if he hits the highs again next season.