According to English press reports, Newcastle are interested in signing Ruben Neves, Al Hilal player, during the upcoming winter transfer window, to compensate for the long absence of Sandro Tonali.
The Italian midfielder was suspended by the Italian FA for 10 months for violating betting laws and betting on matches for his former team Milan between 2020 and 2023, a charge that the player admitted to but did not deny during the investigation.
As a result of the long absence from the pitch, Newcastle management began to look for alternatives to support the midfield, initially settling on two names: Ruben Neves, Al Hilal's and Manchester City's Kalvin Phillips.
Should Neves go for the option of signing Neves, the English club's management is considering that it could happen on loan until the end of the season.
The Portugal international joined Al Hilal from Wolves last summer for €55 million and has become a regular member of coach Jorge Jesus' battalion, as evidenced by his 13 appearances in all competitions so far.
The option to sign Phillips may also make sense given his failure to feature consistently for Manchester City, and Pep Guardiola's openness to dispensing with his services either next winter or in the summer.
It remains to be noted that Al Hilal Saudi Club is owned by the Saudi Investment Fund, the same owner as Newcastle since 2020, which could make negotiations over Neves easier than expected.
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