Because Neves has been linked with a January move to Man United, we utilized Football Manager 2022 to explore how he would fare with the club until the end of the season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers' Ruben Neves
Manchester United are allegedly interested in signing Ruben Neves, who was instrumental in United's 1-0 loss to Wolves on Monday.
Neves is said to be one of United's goals in January as the team attempts to bolster interim manager Ralf Rangnick's midfield options. Neves joined Wolves from Portuguese giants FC Porto in 2017 and has steadily progressed since then, with reports linking him with the Premier League's best clubs.
United are expected to make a move for a new central midfielder in this month's transfer window, and Neves might be a potential fit after the 24-year-old has stated that he wants his immediate future to be resolved quickly.
So, what kind of impact may Neves have on Ralf Rangnick's team if he moves to Old Trafford in January?
Is the Portuguese midfielder capable of assisting United to a trophy this season?
This is what happened when we simulated the rest of the season with Neves on the Reds' roster. In January 2022, we 'signed' Ruben Neves for Manchester United.
We utilized the Football Manager 2022 editor to arrange for Neves to join United at the start of the January 2022 transfer window, then ran the simulation with FM22.
On FM22, Neves' in-game profile looks like this.
2Ruben Neves' FM22 in-game profile.
Neves possesses exceptional technical and mental skills, excelling in technique, vision, passing, long shots, penalty kicks, and free kicks.
Neves possesses a wide range of skills that make him an excellent central midfielder, and at the age of 24, he still has room to grow. Let's take a look at Neves' performance in the second half of the 2022/23 season after joining United in January.
After joining United in January, Neves made a total of 23 appearances for the club, registering six assists and a 7.05 average match rating.
Neves has the eighth-best average match rating in the United squad, ahead of players like Scott McTominay, Fred, Nemanja Matic, and DONNY VAN DE BEEK.
Neves had the second-highest pass completion percentage (91%) and tackle success rate (71%) of any United midfielder, demonstrating how important his contributions were to the team's improved form and results.
Football Manager 2022 put together an overall best United XI based on performances, statistics, and other factors at the end of the 2021/22 season. According to Football Manager 2022, this is what United's best XI looked like at the end of the 2021/22 season:
The best XI for United in the 2021/22 season.
De Gea; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Shaw; McTominay, Neves; Fernandes, Sancho; Rashford, Ronaldo; United best XI (4-2-2-2)
At the end of the 2021/22 season, Neves was named to United's best XI, moving Fred, Van de Beek, and Matic to the bench or out of the matchday squad.
So, how did United fare in the league and cup tournaments following the January arrival of Neves?
United's simulation results for the years 2021/22
In the Premier League, United came in fourth place.
At the end of the 2021/22 season, United finished fourth in the Premier League, 12 points behind champions Manchester City.
United concluded the season on a six-game winning streak, putting them three points ahead of Arsenal in fifth place in the Premier League standings.
United ended two positions lower in the league table this season than they did last season, with three less points and a -13 goal difference.
As evidenced by his average match rating and goal contributions, Neves was not the main cause of United's dismal league performance, implying that more acquisitions and improvements are required elsewhere in the squad if United are to narrow the gap on Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City.
So, how did the Red Devils fare in cup competitions?
The results of United in cup tournaments.
United failed to win a title in the 2021/22 season after losing 2-1 to fierce rivals Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-finals, with MOHAMED SALAH scoring twice before Neves pulling one back for Rang-nick's side.
United faced a strong opponent in Inter Milan in the Champions League and were knocked out after a 1-0 defeat in the second leg of the quarter-final against the Italian side.
Overall, according to our Football Manager simulation, if United sign Neves in January, the Portuguese midfielder will have a positive impact on the team and will help United qualify for the Champions League next season. Neves' performances were a huge step forward from Rangnick's current alternatives, but more signings may be required if United is to close the gap on the top three teams.
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