Manchester United have been linked with a move for the Benfica midfielder Joao Neves.
The 19-year-old has established himself as one of the finest young midfield talents in European football and Manchester United are keeping tabs on him.
A report from O Jogo via SportWitness claims that Manchester United are leading the race for his signature.
The player has a €120 million release clause in his contract but Benfica are hoping to tie him down to a new deal which would see his release clause rise to €150 million. The Portuguese outfit are already in talks with his agent Jorge Mendes and they are optimistic about reaching an agreement.
Manchester United need to bring in central metal reinforcements and Neves would be a solid, long-term acquisition.
The 19-year-old is exceptional when it comes to controlling the tempo of the game and recycling possession. He has established himself as a key starter for Benfica since the departure of Enzo Fernandez. There is no doubt that he has the technical attributes to thrive in the Premier League as well and he should prove to be a quality alternative to someone like Sofyan Amrabat who has struggled to live up to the expectations since joining the Premier League club.
The reported asking price seems quite steep and it will be interesting to see if Manchester United are prepared to break the club’s transfer record to land the player. Neves is a world-class talent with a big future ahead of him and he could be a key player for the Red Devils for the foreseeable future.
The transfer might prove to be a quality investment in the long run if the midfielder can fulfil his world-class potential with Manchester United.