Arsenal warned off Ruben Neves transfer with injury returns detailed

Arsenal were among those linked with Ruben Neves last summer but Wolves have already looked to warn off a move in the coming months with the Gunners eyeing the top four

Arsenal’s recent return to form has put them back in control of the top four race following successive wins over Chelsea and Manchester United.

The Gunners saw off the Red Devils at the weekend and now sit above rivals Tottenham as they target a Champions League return. Mikel Arteta has been able to salvage the club’s season after a slow start following a summer of recruitment that was heavily criticised.

Arsenal are having to deal without several key players ahead of the season’s final few games, which includes a potentially defining north London derby. Finishing in the top four will no doubt bolster the club’s hand when it comes to adding players in this summer’s transfer market.

These are the latest news lines coming out of the Emirates.

Neves warning

Bruno Lage has again underlined Ruben Neves’ importance to Wolves amid rumoured interest from Arsenal and United. The midfielder was linked with a move away from Molineux last summer and potential suitors are poised to return once more for the Portuguese star.

Wolves have slapped a £100m price tag on Neves in an effort to warn off interest. Lage said: “We need to wait for an offer, we don’t have anything, we need to wait for an offer and understand what (will) really happen. What is good for the club, good for the player.

“For me, it is clear, if I want to work with Ruben, yes. If you ask the player if he wants to work for me, for sure he will say yes. But this is football and you never know what can happen in the next day.

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Injury update

The Gunners are currently dealing without Thomas Partey who picked up a “significant injury” in the defeat at Crystal Palace recently. He could yet return this summer but there remains to guarantee. Arteta admitted he needed to wait to see whether Saka would play in their last outing. Now the Spaniard is sweating on his fitness ahead of their clash with West Ham United this weekend.

Kieran Tierney is also out for the season and will undergo surgery which could affect his involvement in Scotland’s summer fixtures with a World Cup qualifier still to come.

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Champions League change incoming

The Gunners are hoping to, once again, be at Europe’s top table next term and consolidate themselves as regulars. They could be playing in a tournament that is set for a reshuffle from 2024. More teams are due to enter the competition whilst there is talk of UEFA doing away with two-legged semi-finals in favour of a one off game.

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said: “This new format supports the status and future of the domestic game throughout Europe as well. It retains the principle that domestic performance should be the key to qualification and reconfirms the principles of solidarity right through the game and of open competition.”

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