Liam Keen comment: Ruben Neves won the hearts of the people at Wolves
Arriving in the Championship for £15million, Ruben Neves bought into Wolves from day one.
He was just 20 years old when he came to an unknown country and league as the new record signing for a club ambitiously seeking a return to the top flight.
The team that Nuno Espirito Santo built was phenomenal, and Nuno was a revelation himself, but Neves was an incredibly huge part of that success.
As a steely cog in that Championship-winning side, the midfielder somehow managed moments of finesse to score the most sensational goals throughout that season.
The strikes against Hull, Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United all spring to mind – but everyone knows where they were when Neves volleyed home against Derby.
Those lucky enough to be in attendance at Molineux on Wednesday, April 11, 2018, will remember it as the moment Neves burst into the mainstream.
He was no longer just Wolves’ hero, but the country was taking notice.
What might be even more incredible, is that Wolves enjoyed five more seasons with Neves after promotion to the Premier League.
From taking the top flight by storm, charging into the Europa League and scoring screamers against Espanyol, to battling against relegation and dragging the team to safety – Neves was consistently superb.
Not only did he buy into the club and the desire to play in the Premier League, but Neves bought into the city and the culture.
Swapping the coastal Portuguese city of Porto for the Black Country is a big culture shock, but Neves genuinely loved the place and the people in it.
On the final day of the 2021/22 season, Neves spoke to the media to say goodbye to the Wolves fans that had rightly awarded him that hero status.
