Man Utd Accelerate Neves Bid as Madrid Exit Race; Amass and Collyer Set for Championship Loans

Manchester United have stolen a march on Real Madrid in the race for Ruben Neves, with the Spanish giants having reportedly closed the door on a January move for the Al-Hilal midfielder.

The Red Devils have already tabled a formal offer worth approximately £20m—just shy of €23m—to secure the 28-year-old, who is approaching the final six months of his contract in Saudi Arabia. Neves is understood to be open to a significant reduction in wages to facilitate his return to English football, having impressed during his previous spell with Wolves in the Premier League.

United's recruitment team view the move as a market opportunity, preferring to settle the deal now rather than risk becoming embroiled in a competitive summer auction. Al-Hilal appear willing to cash in this month rather than lose the midfielder on a free transfer come June.

The timing of United's push comes amid an internal meeting scheduled for this week, as revealed by transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano. Michael Carrick will be involved in discussions about the club's January strategy, though the manager will not have final say on recruitment decisions.

"There will be an internal meeting at Manchester United at the beginning of this week involving Michael Carrick," Romano explained. "Carrick does not make the final decisions, but he will be involved in discussions after a very strong start, including winning the Manchester derby. United will decide whether to pursue an opportunity in January, possibly in midfield or attack, or to keep the current squad until the summer."

The club has acknowledged that any immediate signing would likely represent a modest investment, with more substantial midfield reinforcements—potentially including targets such as Carlos Baleba, Adam Wharton, or Elliot Anderson—reserved for the summer window when a permanent manager will be in situ.

Romano added that the broader picture remains subdued on the transfer front. "At the moment everything is very quiet and the big investments are expected in the summer with a permanent manager in place. In Italy, clubs like Roma and Juventus are waiting to see if United open the door for players such as Joshua Zirkzee, but for now United have not decided."

The departure of Ruben Amorim and arrival of Carrick has altered the landscape regarding Kobbie Mainoo's future, with the academy prospect no longer guaranteed to remain at the club.

On the outgoings front, The Athletic has confirmed that academy prospects Harry Amass and Toby Collyer are set to complete loan moves to Championship sides. Amass will join Norwich City while Collyer heads to Hull City for the remainder of the campaign, allowing both youngsters regular first-team football.