Arsenal quoted huge Ruben Neves transfer fee

The issues Arsenal have in their squad were laid bare against Brighton as the absence of two key players prompted a personnel reshuffle, one that contributed to a devastating defeat.

Mikel Arteta lost his best midfielder and prompted to pull his second best option into an unfamiliar left-back role, damaging ball progression in the process and seeing the team lose any solidity in central areas.

Maintaining the 4-3-3 shape that had brought success with Thomas Partey at the base, without him in that area the level of the team plummets and the imbalance at left No. 8 prevents Arsenal from building their play down that side.

It’s imperative that reinforcements are sounded out in the summer, likely for both No. 6 and No. 8, with Ruben Neves one of the players heavily linked with a north London switch.

Arsenal quoted huge Ruben Neves transfer fee as Wolves slap £50m-£60m price tag on Arteta’s Premier League target

Sky Sports have reaffirmed the Gunners’ interest in the Wolves man, stating he is a ‘top target’ for the club in the upcoming summer window.

Facing stern interest from Barcelona, Neves is entering the final two years of his contract which places Wolves in the precarious position of either needing to tie him down to a new deal or sell him while he still holds market value. Yet, even with just over 24 months left to run on his contract, Bruno Lage’s side will look to secure up to £60m for the 25-year-old.

Premier League duo Manchester United and Tottenham have also been watching him this season, although with Spurs signing Rodrigo Bentancur and United still awaiting confirmation on their new manager and his desired targets, it could open the door for Arsenal to swoop in.

Where exactly he’d fit into this team makes for an interesting discussion.

Operating on the right of a four-man midfield in a 3-4-2-1/3-4-3 shape, Neves’ role is more of a deep-lying playmaker than a box-to-box midfielder, often using his position in front of the defence to hit raking diagonal balls into wide players and wing-backs. It’s this area where he has the view of the pitch in front of him and can conduct the play.

Far from the quickest midfielder, his skillset and range of pass are more suited to a duel No. 6 type role with runners beyond. How he’d slot into a 4-3-3, presumably on the left, is anything but clear.

Furthermore, being heavily right-footed poses new questions. When these links emerged in the summer they made more sense given Arsenal still operated with a double pivot at this stage, so what exactly Arteta has in store for him is open for debate.

Nevertheless, these links aren’t dissipating. While his asking price could range between £50m-£60m, that comes across as a huge fee for a player who isn’t a precise tactical fit in this system.

Looking at the role Xhaka plays as the left No. 8, for Arsenal’s sake they need someone who can carry the ball as well as move it, as well as get up and down the pitch. Is Neves that guy?