Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal Sign Ruben Neves from Wolves

Wolverhampton Wanderers have agreed to sell Portugal midfielder Ruben Neves to Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, the English Premier League club said on Friday of a transfer which has been reported to be worth 55 million euros ($60 million).

“No other player has made such an impact on the pitch in gold and black during the last six years having featured more than 250 times in a remarkable period in the club’s history,” Wolves said in a statement.

Neves has made 253 appearances for Wolves, scoring 30 goals, since arriving in 2017.

He helped them win promotion from the Championship a year later and then to two consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the Premier League.

Wolves also reached the Europa League quarter-finals in 2020, but have struggled to replicate that success and finished 13th last season.

Thanks to its oil riches, Saudi Arabia, the conservative Gulf monarchy frequently targeted over its human rights record, has swiftly achieved a prominent role in world sports, dishing out billion of dollars in the process.

Karim Benzema joined his former Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in moving to the Saudi Pro League earlier this month in what is expected to be just the start of a series of move for stars based in Europe.

France’s World Cup-winning midfielder N’Golo Kante also turn down a contract renewal at Chelsea to join Benzema at Al-Ittihad.

But in contrast to recent moves for players in the twilight of their careers, Neves, 26, still has his prime years ahead of him.

(With inputs from Agencies)