Liverpool can gazump Arsenal with £40m offer to sign 24-year-old genius

The Telegraph's John Percy writes that Arsenal are ready to make their first offer for Ruben Neves but with Wolves holding out for £40million Liverpool can gazump them.

Granit Xhaka is about to join AS Roma for around £15million and the Gunners will need to replace him and have identified Neves as someone who could come in.

With Wolves holding out for £40m and Liverpool in the market for a midfielder as Georginio Wijnaldum closes in on a PSG switch which will see him earn £160,000/week, Michael Edwards should gazump the Gunners.

Liverpool will not get a fee for Gini with his contract set to expire at the end of June whereafter he will become a Paris Saint-Germain player.

While Jurgen Klopp has wished the 30-year-old all the best, the German now needs to replace him.

Enter the utterly brilliant Ruben Neves.

Wijnaldum was so important to the way Liverpool played as they rampaged their way to the 2019/20 Premier League title, winning 99 points from an available 114.

His passive role in the team led to a lot of criticism from fans and pundits alike that didn't quite appreciate the importance of his place in the starting XI.

While he arrived at Liverpool as a goalscoring attacking midfielder, he was transformed into a shepherd of the ball, fetching and protecting it until he could offload it to Andy Robertson or recycle it across to Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Neves would present Klopp with a much more eye-catching style of play. The Portuguese is one of the best passers in the Premier League. His long-range passing, in particular, is outstanding.

The Telegraph says he is available for £40m as Wolves rebuild following Nuno Espírito Santo's departure from the club. At that price, there isn't a better midfielder that Liverpool can buy to replace Wijnaldum.

Diogo Jota, who took to Anfield like a fish to water, can help convince Ruben Neves to join Liverpool.

The pair will link up together for Portugal at the Euros this summer and after they played together for Wolves, that connection is already there.

Supporters believe Jota was a bargain even though he joined for £45m but can you imagine if Michael Edwards managed to sign Neves for just £35m?

It would be bedlam.

I have no idea how Klopp would line his side up with Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Thiago and Neves to choose from not to mention Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Curtis Jones.

Signing Neves is a no-brainer and given that he's still only 24, he is yet to reach his prime.

He captained Porto when he was just 18 years of age and broke Ronaldo's record as the youngest Portuguese player to play in the Champions League when he debuted at 17 years, 5 months and 8 days.

Liverpool have a strong squad already but the more leaders the better ahead of a season that will once again see the Reds battle for silverware.