Liverpool have been linked with Ruben Neves for some time now, and a new update on the player's future could give the Merseyside club the green light to finally strike a deal for their transfer target.

What's the latest?

According to TEAMtalk, the Reds are keeping tabs on an ongoing situation emerging at Molineux, namely Wolverhampton Wanderers' ongoing links with Nice midfielder Mario Lemina this month.

As per the report, Liverpool remain huge admirers of Neves, and if Wolves were to acquire the services of another midfielder, it hints that there could a potential opportunity for the Reds to snap up the services of the 25-year-old.

Imagine him & Thiago

It is no secret that Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements in the middle of the park, with a number of targets already identified who could become the next generation of Jurgen Klopp's philosophy for success.

Jude Bellingham, Enzo Fernandez, Declan Rice, Moises Caicedo and Mason Mount are all midfielders to have been linked with a move to Merseyside in 2023, although no transfer activity in that area of pitch is concrete as of yet.

Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner will all be out of contract in the summer, so there is ample opportunity to not only free up the wage bill, but also to build the future of the midfield with not just youthful prospects for Klopp to mould into his own superstars but also experienced and hard-working players who can come in and make an instant impact.

Therefore, signing Neves would be an incredible coup for the Merseysiders, as he has proven during his time at Wolves to be a reliable and consistent performer in the midfield engine room.

The talented 25-year-old - who has a reported £31m transfer valuation - ranks in the top 20% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, shots, clearances, passes attempted and interceptions over the past year, also ranking in the top five Premier League players for tackles completed this season.

Across 17 league appearances in the current campaign, Neves -  who has been dubbed "outstanding" by Tim Spiers in the past - has scored four goals and completed 50% of his dribbles, along with averaging 1.5 interceptions, 2.7 tackles, 2.4 clearances and 4.2 duels won per game (Sofascore).

The Portugal international's strength in defensive transition and positioning could make him the perfect partner to line up next to Thiago Alcantara in the Liverpool team, as his work ethic and ability to be effective in both attacking and defensive play could give the Spaniard more freedom to work his playmaking charms in midfield.

The Reds maestro ranks in the 98th percentile among midfielders in Europe's top five leagues over the past 12 months for passes attempted and progressive passes per 90, along with the top 9% for pass completion rate (FBref), all pointing to formidable distribution of the ball.

Combining Thiago's influential build-up play and passing range with Neves' clear ability to win the ball in deeper areas of threat on the pitch could give Klopp a dynamic duo who can completely transform the pace in build-up play, with Thiago picking up the ball from Neves, who is adept at winning possession.

With that in mind, it would be a no-brainer for Liverpool to make a move for Neves, as his obvious talent and Premier League experience (159 appearances) could be invaluable to Klopp, especially if a move can be completed this month.