Manchester United are reportedly pushing hard to sign SL Benfica star Joao Neves in the upcoming transfer window, as per the Portuguese outlet Record.
After coming through the Portuguese giants’ youth system, the 19-year-old made his senior debut for his boyhood club last term before establishing himself as a key player in Roger Schmidt’s first eleven this season.
The youngster has been rewarded with a call-up to the star-studded Portugal squad after his impressive displays for Benfica this term and he even featured against Bosnia Herzegovina in the Euro 24 qualifying fixture last month.
So, it appears after being impressed by Neves’ recent eye-catching performances, several clubs around Europe have already expressed their interest in signing him, including Man Utd.
According to the report by Record, the Red Devils are contemplating a swoop for the midfielder and they have already started pushing hard to broker a deal for him in the upcoming transfer window.
Neves to Man Utd
However, the report claims that signing the 19-year-old won’t be straightforward for United as city rivals Manchester City are also interested in acquiring his service.
It has been suggested that Neves has a £103m release clause included in his current contract, but Benfica could accept a lower fee and may let their star man leave if his potential suitors such as Man Utd submit a formal proposal worth around £61m.
Neves usually plays in the deep-lying playmaker position in a double pivot for Benfica, but he can also be deployed in the box-to-box role. The midfielder is technically sound, is good in the air, can play threading passes between the lines, has an eye for long-range passing, is efficient in taking set-pieces and is also excellent in defensive contributions.
The Benfica star is a highly talented player and possesses the potential to become a top-class midfielder going forward. So, he would be a great coup for Man Utd if they manage to secure his signature in the upcoming transfer window.
However, it is going to be interesting to see whether the record Premier League champions eventually opt to sign the Portugal international next year to bolster their engine room.
