Premier League set to block potential transfer of £47m star Newcastle United 'liked'

Al Hilal midfielder Ruben Neves has been linked with a January move to Newcastle United - but it is unlikely to happen for a number of reasons.

Newcastle are keen to bolster their midfield amid injury concerns and a 10-month suspension to £52million summer signing Sandro Tonali. And Neves, who impressed in the Premier League with Wolverhampton Wanderers before joining the Saudi Pro League for £47million in the summer, has emerged as a potential target.

Newcastle and Al Hilal are both majority-owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund along with other Saudi Pro League sides Al Ahli, Al Ittihad and Al Nassr.

But The Magpies could be blocked from doing any deals with those four Saudi Pro League clubs with Premier League clubs set to vote on whether to implement a temporary ban on loans between teams under the same ownership.

The vote is set to take place on Tuesday, November 21 and will be immediately put into practice ahead of the upcoming January transfer window. In order to be implemented, 14 of the 20 current Premier League sides would have to vote in favour of the ban. When asked if he would do business with Saudi Pro League clubs, Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe said: "I'm open to signing players from anywhere if they're good enough and they make our team better."

On the links to Neves, Howe added: "It’s very difficult to talk about one individual player but, of course, he is a player we liked when he was at Wolves."

When asked about how Neves would adapt to Newcastle's intense play-style, Howe added: “I’m reluctant to go into much detail about a player who is not mine.

"But I do believe, just generally, that players can adapt to different styles. I’ve got no doubt about that.”

Should the ban be implemented, Newcastle will be unable to loan a number of big names from the Saudi Pro League.

But with The Magpies having no firm plans to do so in the first place, Howe remains relaxed about the situation.

"I wouldn’t know the motives behind the rule changes coming in," Howe added. "It’s very difficult for me to give a definitive opinion, we just have to react to the changes as they come in."