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Deco: Wolves' Ruben Neves could have been one of Porto's greatest

Former Portuguese star Deco believes Ruben Neves could have been one of Porto’s best players and didn’t understand why they sold him to Wolves.

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But in an interview with Sky Sports, the two-time Champions League winner believes Neves’s move to Wolves was a good step in his career.

And with some of Europe’s biggest clubs reportedly interested in Neves, Deco urged him to stay at the club and enjoy the Premier League with them next season.

Deco, aged 40, who used to play for Barcelona, Chelsea and Porto, told Sky Sports: “I need to confess that when Porto sold him to Wolves I didn’t understood because he was young and he could be one of the best players in Porto, he could have been an important player for Porto.

“But this is business for the club.

“Of course he was playing alongside Danilo and I didn’t understand why they sold him.

“But for him it was good because he won the Championship and now he will be in the Premier League. He is young, he has a good future, I am happy.”

Asked if bigger clubs might be looking at the 21-year-old play-maker following a stand-out season, Deco said: “I think he is doing his career step by step.

“Normally in these days when players try to play well, everyone says they need to change clubs, big clubs, they talk about big clubs.

“He is doing his job, he needs to wait, he is young like I said.

“Now he did well in the Championship. The people, maybe they didn’t believe it would be possible when he moved to the Championship from Porto.

“But now he is the right way. He is doing his job, he is doing it step by step.

“If I was him, just would relax and enjoy now the Premier League.”

Neves has already revealed he wants to stay at Wolves next season, telling Sky Sports during the promotion parade earlier this month: “I want to stay here and I want to enjoy the Premier League with this fantastic club.”

And in a recent interview with Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, he said he had ‘no interest’ in leaving the club.

Neves was crowned Wolves’ player of the season at Wolves at the club’s end of year awards.

He took home three gongs in total, with the other two being player’s player of the season and goal of the season for his stunning 35-yard volley against Derby.