According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United will face competition from Saudi Pro League clubs and Chelsea in the race to sign talented 19-year-old Benfica midfielder Joao Neves in the coming months.
Joao Neves has established himself as a key player for Benfica, and he could prove to be a solid, long-term acquisition for Manchester United. The Red Devils need to add more quality and control in the middle of the park, and the 19-year-old seems like the ideal acquisition for them.
They have been linked with a number of central midfielders in recent months, and it will be interesting to see if they can secure the 19-year-old services at the end of the season. Benfica are unlikely to sanction his departure midway through the season, and Manchester United will have to wait until the summer transfer window in order to sign him.
The 19-year-old replaced Enzo Fernandez at the heart of Benfica’s midfield after the Argentine international left for Chelsea at the start of the year. Since then he has developed considerably and established himself as a key performer for the club.
Although he is only 19, he is certainly good enough to start for Manchester United, and he has all the attributes to develop into a world-class midfielder in the coming seasons. Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has a proven track record when it comes to nurturing talented young players, and he could help the 19-year-old fulfill his tremendous potential as well.
The midfielder is unlikely to be a cheap acquisition. So, the Red Devils might have to pay a premium in order to sign him. Neves reportedly has a release clause of around €120 million, and Benfica are likely to demand the full amount.
While Manchester United have the resources to pay that kind of money for him, it remains to be seen whether they are ready to shell out that kind of fee for a largely unproven talent. Neves is yet to prove his quality outside of Portugal and on a consistent basis.
There is no doubt that he could develop into a key player for the Red Devils and justify the investment in the long run though. But Manchester United face stiff competition from Chelsea in the race to sign the teenage sensation.
Chelsea have been very active in the transfer market over the last few months, and they have the resources to sign the best players in the world. It will be interesting to see if Manchester United are prepared to enter into a bidding war with them at the end of the season.
