‘Pay The Release Clause’ – Man Utd ‘Opening Bid’ For Whizkid Laughed Off
Man United are looking for a central midfielder this summer with Casemiro’s future at Old Trafford currently uncertain after an abysmal second spell at the club and a complete shadow of his former self.
Manchester United have reportedly had a bid of £51.23m rejected by Benfica for the signing of Joao Neves.
The Portuguese club’s young defensive midfielder has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for several months. At the beginning of the year, Benfica name-dropped United in an official statement as they declared they had not received any bids from the Premier League club.
However, reports in Portugal have intensified surrounding Neves and the Reds. In this morning’s Record, it is claimed a host of European clubs are interested in the 19-year-old.
They add that United have had a €60m (£51.23m) bid rejected for the midfielder. It is claimed Benfica are not willing to entertain any offer which is less than €100m (£85.38m) but would preferably only sell the player for his release clause which is valued at €120m (£102.46m).
A bid of that size would represent a giant leap of £34m when compared to Man Utd’s opening bid. Whether the Red Devils would be prepared to sink such a huge sum into one player remains unclear for now.
In the event Man Utd and Ratcliffe decide to look elsewhere, the door will swing open for one of Neves’ countless other suitors to swoop.
As Romano mentioned, Arsenal and Man City have also been monitoring the young star. Other clubs known to be on Neves’ trail include Chelsea, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and PSG.
Neves is known for his composure under pressure, his ability to find a way out of tight spaces and technical prowess.
Alongside Mainoo, the duo could be the bedrock of Man Utd’s midfield for the next decade at least, though whether he winds up at Old Trafford depends entirely on United upping their bid.
