Ruben Neves has been one of Wolverhampton Wanderers' standout players since the club returned to the Premier League

But his exemplary displays throughout the past two seasons have also attracted interest from Manchester United, as Goal report that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is keen on signing the player in January.

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At just 22 years of age, he is both a short and long-term option to slot into United's midfield.

But what exactly do those who know him best have to say about the youngster?

Let's find out...

Vitor Matos, Liverpool's elite development coach

Even though Matos is currently stationed at Anfield, he used to work alongside Neves when they were both working under the banners of Porto back in the day.

He saw the youngster's rapid development from raw talent to a leader, as he explained on one occasion.

Speaking to O Jogo (via SportWitness), he said:

"All who passed through there (Porto) made a great effort and were brilliant. But Ruben Neves is a fantastic example. I saw him grow from 13-years-old to be captain of the first team.

"In terms of mentality, what each individual’s belief is, he was top. If training was at 10am, he was in the field at 9am to train long passes, shots, free-kicks. This already existed within him."

Cristian Tello, Neves' former teammate

Tello and Neves used to play side by side back when they were at Porto and his former teammate is clearly a huge fan of Man United's target.

In fact, he went as far to compare him to none other than Sergio Busquets, Barcelona's revered veteran who also plays as a defensive midfielder.

In many ways, this is one of the biggest compliments the youngster could possibly receive, especially given the fact he was only 17 at that time.

Here's what Tello said, as quoted by Mirror:

"Ruben Neves, for a 17-year-old, is fantastic with the ball at his feet, he knows how to position himself and he’s aggressive. He’s similar to Sergio Busquets."

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Luis Castro, the Porto B manager

Castro used to be Porto B's gaffer back in 2013 and 2014, so he knows a thing or two about Neves and his rapid development.

When he was describing his player profile, Castro actually highlighted a different aspect of the youngster that is not getting enough attention at all - his mentality.

Here's what he said, as quoted by Mirror:

"People talk about technical and tactical ability, but Ruben Neves is incredibly talented from the mental point of view.

"He plays with an extraordinary calmness; he knows what each game situation calls for. It makes no sense to talk about the continuing maturing process in the under-19 and B teams. When a player completes his development in a sustained manger it’s because he has already acquired this maturity."

Verdict

It seems that Neves is a top talent well worth pursuing.

If Man United can actually snatch him away from Wolves, it would definitely represent a major scoop for the Red Devils.

Let's see what ends up happening.