Benfica midfielder Joao Neves has been linked with a move to Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks.
A report from the Portuguese publication Record via SportWitness claims that Benfica do not plan to sell the player any time soon and the two English clubs will have to trigger his release clause if they want to sign him.
The midfielder has a release clause of €120 million in his contract. it will be interesting to see if Arsenal and Liverpool are prepared to pay that kind of money for him.
There is no doubt that the 19-year-old is an immense talent with a big future ahead of him. However, he is yet to prove himself consistently at the highest level. The midfielder has not done anything to justify the €120 million investment and the two Premier League clubs might feel that they need to wait for his price to come down in the near future before signing him.
Arsenal need to sign a quality replacement for Thomas Partey who has been linked with a move away from the club. The 19-year-old defensive midfielder is capable of operating in an advanced role as well and he could develop into a complete central midfielder with the right guidance.
He could prove to be the ideal long-term partner for Declan Rice at the heart of Arsenal’s midfield.
Similarly, Liverpool will have to replace Fabinho, who left the club at the start of the season. The 19-year-old certainly fits the profile but his asking price seems absurd right now and the Reds are unlikely to be able to pay that kind of money for him.