Wolves Complete Sensational Signing of Porto Starlet Ruben Neves on Long-Term Contract
Wolverhampton Wanderers have pulled off one of the biggest deals of the summer so far after officially completing the signing of Porto starlet Ruben Neves on a long-term contract.
Neves has put pen to paper on five-year terms that promise to keep him at Molineux until 2022, with the Championship club believed to have agreed at a record £15.8m fee with Porto.
Already a full Portugal international, 20-year-old Neves made his Porto debut at the age of 17 and later became the youngest player to start a Champions League game as captain when he wore the armband against Maccabi Tel Aviv in October 2015.
The arrival of Neves is further evidence of the power of super-agent Jorge Mendes and the increasingly strong ties that he now has to Wolves.
Mendes, who famously represents Jose Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo, was also responsible for bring new Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo to the west midlands earlier this summer.
Nuno was formerly in charge at Porto and has an existing relationship with Neves.
"I'm very excited to play at this club," Neves told his new team's official website.
"It is a very big club and I hope to help the team to win their goals. I have always wanted to play in England and we have a good team. I think we can do good things this season.
"It is also a good opportunity for me to work again with a trainer (Nuno Espirito Santo) I worked with last year. I am very excited to start and to play in front of the fans - I love that."
Porto's midfielder Ruben Neves (R) celebrates after scoring during the Portuguese league football match FC Porto vs CD Tondela at the Dragao stadium in Porto on February 17, 2017. / AFP / MIGUEL RIOPA (Photo credit should read MIGUEL RIOPA/AFP/Getty Images)
MIGUEL RIOPA/GettyImages
Nuno himself added, "I know him well, I worked with him last year - he's a good player. When a player is captain of a big team like Porto in a Champions League game at such a young age, it means a lot. He was very pleased to come here, it's a good challenge for him."
