'It won't happen' - Liverpool to miss out on 'amazing' midfielder, they spent their entire budget on Gakpo

Liverpool are keen on signing Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves, according to reports. However, the club are thought to be unable to fund the transfer.

The Portuguese midfielder has just 18 months left on his contract, and Jurgen Klopp is said to be interested in bringing the 26-year-old to Anfield.

Neves arrived at Molineux from Porto back in 2017 and has since established himself as one of Wolves' most important players, dictating the pace of the game from midfield.

Indeed, Goalkeeper Jose Sa has sung his teammate's praises, having labelled him as "amazing" and "fantastic" in the past.

Neves is currently on a mission to guide the Wanderers to safety in the Premier League. However, his consistency and top-flight experience have made him a perfect target for the Reds who are seeking further midfield recruits, as they sink lower and lower down the table.

James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all out of contract in the summer, while Jordan Henderson, Thiago and Fabinho aren't getting any younger.

However, journalist Alex Crook believes they are lacking the finances to land the midfielder.

Liverpool have "spent all their money on Gakpo"

Crook told talkSPORT: “He’s into the last 18 months of his contract, that crunch time for any player to either extend their deal or maybe look for pastures new.

“I can understand why Liverpool are admirers of him. I don’t think it’s going to happen this window.

“I think Jurgen Klopp has said that basically they’ve spent all their money on Cody Gakpo so again this is one to keep an eye on in the summer but I think this would be a good move not just for Neves but for Liverpool as well.

“He’s a really talented player and I’m surprised it’s taken this long for one of the so-called big six to come calling.”

Fellow Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes has also been widely linked with a move to Anfield. However, FIFA's rules preventing a player from representing three clubs per season has ruled the 24-year-old out until the summer.