Wolverhampton Wanderers are heading for a disaster if they sell their star midfielder Ruben Neves to fellow Premier League side Manchester United this summer.

According to journalist Alex Crook, United are plotting a move for Neves if their pursuit for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong fails. It would be a nightmare for the Old Gold if he left as Jeff Shi would struggle to find a replacement to match his quality.

Reports also said that the hierarchy at Old Trafford believes he would have no trouble fitting in at the club due to the presence of his compatriots Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes.

Wolves boss Bruno Lage has placed a £100m price tag on the Portuguese international which could put the Red Devils off, but either way, he needs to do all he can to keep the midfield maestro at the club.

Since arriving from FC Porto for a Championship record £15.8m fee in 2017 he has been a crucial part of their success, so much so that we think he is irreplaceable.

He helped the Old Gold win the Championship in his first season and subsequently bossed the midfield during their meteoric rise to Europe. In 212 appearances he's been directly involved in 36 goals, which might not seem a lot, but he contributes so much more.

When you compare the £34m-rated midfielder to positional peers in Europe's big five leagues over the last year, he ranks in the top 7% for passes into the final third and passes under pressure, showing the complete composure needed to succeed at the highest level.

He's been described as "sensational" by the Athletic's Tim Spiers and "unreal" by David Cartlidge, and his performances consistently prove why.

Neves also ranks in the top 4% for switches, proving how good he is at picking out a teammate even if they are at a distance.

Not only are players as good as him hard to come by, but Wolves would also more than likely face a lot of competition for a suitable replacement, so could struggle to get a deal over the line for anyone as good.

If United come knocking then they need to resist. The fact that the Red Devils can't offer Champions League football next season makes the move less attractive for Neves, but if a club that is in the competition make an offer, then he could well force them to accept it.

AND in other news: "A bit of a shock": Journo surprised by Wolves move, Lage could've made a huge mistake