Real Madrid's decision to snub Man United target might come back to haunt them

Real Madrid's reluctance to make any January signings means they look set to miss out on a possible midfield acquisition. The club rarely do business in the winter and prefer to wait until the summer to make necessary changes to the squad.

That is expected to be the case this year and that includes players leaving the Estadio Bernabeu with only Endrick having departed on loan to Lyon earlier this month. Alvaro Arbeloa is set to oversee the rest of the season without any new faces.

While Madrid already possess a strong squad who more than proved they have what it takes to end the campaign on a high, there are some glaring issues. One of those is a lack of a creative midfielder which was an area of the team in which Xabi Alonso pointed out last summer.

Real Madrid snub opens door for Man United

Madrid's search for a new midfielder made Ruben Neves an interesting option give his contract situation. The Portuguese star's deal with Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal expires in the summer and he could be on the move on the cheap this month.

According to Eldesmarque, Florentino Perez and his recruitment staff viewed Neves' potential in the summer as a positive move. But they ruled out any possibility of bringing the 28-year-old to the Bernabeu in the January transfer window.

This stance won't change and Neves' entourage have taken this on board that Madrid don't intend to make an immediate move for the player. This has paved the way for Manchester United to swoop for the former Wolves man.

Neves is believed to have offered himself to Los Blancos on several occasions but Perez has reservations. United have made a concrete move for the Portugal international and put a bid of around €20 million on the table with his contract expiration date in mind.

Real Madrid need to get with the times

It's never ideal to make alterations to a squad halfway through a season but when a market opportunity presents itself like Neves it should be considered. Sticking with the strategy of solely focusing on summer signings makes sense but also can have consequences.

Eduardo Camavinga's best performance this season arguably came at left-back in the 6-1 thrashing of Monaco in the Champions League. The Frenchman and his compatriot Aurelien Tchouameni haven't exactly been at their best in midfield.

Having an option such as Neves to call upon would be a massive boost for Arbeloa and allow him to use a different profile. He is a creative playmaker who could help Los Blancos in their La Liga title race against Barcelona and would even be prepared to reduce his wages to secure a move.