28 February 2024 , 02:00
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Ruben Neves claims he was "very close" to joining Arsenal last summer only for the former Wolves midfielder to get impatient and choose Saudi Arabia instead.
The Portugal star, 26, also says he could have signed Barcelona and another unnamed European club before deciding to accept a lucrative deal with Al Hilal.
And while title-chasing Arsenal spent more than £100m on bringing in Declan Rice from West Ham, Neves told Spanish outlet Sport that he became fed up with waiting for the Gunners to get a deal done.
“I was close to joining three different clubs, which never happened,” he said. “I got frustrated and decided to join Al Hilal. I didn’t want to mention any names, but one of the clubs was Barcelona. I was very close to joining them, same with Arsenal.
“Then there was another club outside of England. These were events that accumulated and then, with this golden opportunity, I had no doubts in accepting it. I was already hardened by transfers that do not happen.” Neves said he is keen on returning to England but qualified that by saying he is not in a rush to leave the Saudi Pro League.
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He left Wolves for Al Hilal in a £47m deal last summer, signing a three-year deal worth a reported £300,000-per-week, and previously admitted: “Of course one of the things [behind the move] is the money - you cannot hide that.”
But Neves has also said the upstart competition is on course to becoming one of the “most important leagues in the world within two years.
Ruben Neves could be on his way back to the Premier LeagueHe added: “Playing in Saudi Arabia doesn't make me feel any different compared to my colleagues in Europe. My physical ability is great. I'm on track to one day be able to return to Europe and play at the highest level. But, to be honest, I don't plan to return soon.
"There is no secret: the quality of the players who arrive is very high. If each team bets on eight foreigners of that level, this almost becomes a PlayStation championship, in which we can choose the players as we wish. I think that I will be here in two years and, who knows, even a little longer.”
Al Hilal sit top of the table, seven points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nasser having won 19 and drawn two of their 21 games. In addition to Neves, they also signed Neymar, who is injured, Aleksandr Mitrovic, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Kalidou Koulibaly last summer.
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