Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has heaped praise on “excellent” Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves but emphatically denies he is lining up a £100m summer bid.
The Portugal international has excelled since relocating to the Molineux in 2017 and has been linked with move to the Etihad as a result of his recent form.
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City are set to be in the market for a holding midfielder in the summer with Fernandinho turning 34 in a few months time.
Guardiola has been forced to utilise John Stones in midfield recently with no obvious Fernandinho replacement at the club.
Neves has thrived in midfield for Wolves this season and possesses all the technical attributes of a Guardiola player.
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At 21, Neves has been seen as the ideal, long-term successor to the ageing Fernandinho, who will see his contract expire next season.
Neves has made more passes (1099) than any other Wolves player in the Premier League this season
Guardiola’s attempts to bolster his midfield were thwarted over the summer after he failed to secure the signature of Jorginho, but he insists he will not be pulling out all the stops this time to lure Neves to the north west.
“A month ago, I started reading: ‘Rúben Neves, £100million,’” the City manager said. “That is not going to happen, we are not going to pay £100 million for a holding midfielder.
“We have a limit and cannot spend more. We try to be stable in everything.”
Neves is yet to be tested in a three-man midfield, with manager Nuno Espirito Santo favouring a two-man partnership with Joao Moutinho deployed alongside his compatriot.
Despite this, Guardiola has made no secret of his admiration for Neves, who lacks the physical edge of Fernandinho, but presents an equally intimidating presence in the heart of midfield.
“He’s an excellent player,” Guardiola added. “[Playing him] involves playing with two holding midfielders, not just one, but he’s an excellent player.”
If City fail to make a bid for Neves, the Portuguese midfielder may well still find his way to Manchester, with United being linked with a move in the past.