Ruben Neves: Bruno Lage '99% sure' midfielder will stay at Wolves
Wolves manager Bruno Lage has revealed he is "99% sure" midfield star Ruben Neves will stay at the club before the transfer window shuts.
Neves provided another reminder of his technique and ability in the Wanderers' 1-1 draw with Newcastle on Sunday, belting in the opener from outside the box to give his side the lead. Another stunner from Allan Saint-Maximin late on ensured the points were shared at Molineux.
The Portugal international revealed before the game during an interview with The Times that he did not expect to still be a Wolves player at this stage of the year.
He said: “Well, let’s see what happens. I try to focus 100% on my football and I had a good start to the season but we need results now. If you ask me at the end of last season I would have said to you, ‘I will leave’ but I’m still here, so we never know what’s going to happen.”
However, manager Lage has moved to dismiss the speculation, insisting he expects Neves to be at Molineux after the 1 September deadline.
He told Sky Sports: “I can confirm I’m 99% sure Ruben Neves will stay at Wolverhampton this summer.”
Neves has another two years left to run on his contract and has been linked with Manchester United in the past The Red Devils signed Casemiro earlier this month and have been tracking Frenkie de Jong all summer.
Lage also revealed defensive stalwart Willy Boly was due to be in his squad but did not report for the game.
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He added: "It's a process. Willy Boly was in the squad list but he didn't come.
"Everything happens with agents and players and it's so hard to manage people.
"Maybe I'm dreaming, but we can think about what we can do different and protect these kind of things. Boly doesn't deserve that, he's a great professional and doesn't have any problems with me, but he wants to force something I think."