Manchester City have reportedly raced ahead of local rivals Manchester United in the race to sign 19-year-old Benfica defensive midfielder Joao Neves.
According to 90 min, Manchester City are currently leading the race to sign Benfica’s Joao Neves, with a host of big European clubs interested in landing the 19-year-old’s signature ahead of the upcoming January transfer window.
This comes after Neves’ name was bandied about as a Man United target in the Portuguese outlets last week, and while 90 min have doubled down on the claims of United interest, Man City are now considered the frontrunners to sign him instead.
The 19-year-old first broke into Benfica’s first team last season and has become a regular starter at Benfica following Enzo Fernandez’s blockbuster move to Chelsea at the start of 2023, making 17 appearances as they won the Primeira Liga.
Neves has continued his fine form into this season, which has led to a maiden call-up to the Portugal senior team. He has already played 11 times this term, primarily as a defensive midfielder, though he is showing signs of adaptability in different midfield roles.
Needless to say, his breakout onto the senior stage at such a young age has not gone unnoticed around Europe, with clubs such as PSG and Dortmund regularly sending scouts to watch the player in action, while both Manchester clubs are already expressing their desire to spend big on Neves in the next transfer window.
Man City began rebuilding their midfield over the summer, with the departure of captain Ilkay Gundogan followed by the signings of Mateo Kovacic and Matheus Nunes from Chelsea and Wolves, respectively.
However, with Kalvin Phillips’ long-term future at the Etihad still up in the air, there may be room for a coveted young talent who would be able to compete with Rodri in the long run, and Neves fits that bill.
Manchester United, meanwhile, brought Mason Mount from Chelsea and Sofyan Amrabat from Fiorentina but lost Fred to Fenerbahce, while Casemiro’s poor start to the season sparks warning bells at Old Trafford.
The former Real Madrid defensive midfielder is certainly not meeting his high standards, and his growing immobility provides a major concern for Erik ten Hag’s side given that he contributes very little in the build-up phase.
Despite his diminutive physical frame, Neves likes to tackle often, displaying his persistent nature in the heart of the midfield, while he’s also creative and progressive on the ball. The 19-year-old surely has a very bright future in the game and could be viewed as Casemiro’s potential long-term successor by the United hierarchy.
However, a January move might not be easy for either suitor due to Benfica’s reluctance to facilitate a sale at this stage of his development curve. His current contract with Benfica runs out in 2028, and although Benfica have sold several of their homegrown talents to big clubs in recent years, they have no plans to sell Neves until next summer.
