Manchester United are reportedly keen on signing 19-year-old Portuguese midfielder Joao Neves in the coming months.
A report by A Bola via Sport Witness has claimed that Manchester United have now established preliminary contacts to sign Joao Neves. The Portuguese wonderkid has a €120 million release clause in his contract with Benfica.
Benfica are unlikely to sanction Neves’s departure for cheap considering he has a €120 million release clause in his contract. It remains to be seen whether the Red Devils are prepared to break the bank for him.
The 19-year-old has established himself as a key player for Benfica, and he has the potential to succeed in the Premier League as well. He could develop into a quality midfielder for Manchester United, and the Red Devils could certainly use someone like him.
They have been quite vulnerable in the midfield this season, and Neves could partner Casemiro in the middle of the park. The opportunity to join a Premier League club can be quite tempting for the youngster, and he wants to prove himself at the highest level. However, Manchester United will have to pay over the odds for him.
Although the 19-year-old is a prodigious talent, he is certainly not worth €120 million based on his exploits so far. There is no doubt that he has tremendous ability and could develop into a world-class player and justify the investment in the long run.
It will be interesting to see if Manchester United are prepared to take a gamble on the player and spend a substantial amount of money on him. The Red Devils have other areas of their squad they need to strengthen, and splashing €120 million on one midfielder might not be ideal for them.
They will need to sign a quality central defender and a reliable striker who can score goals consistently. Neves has been linked with other European clubs as well, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up eventually. He needs to join the club when he will get ample first-team action so that he can continue his development.
