90min
·21 July 2024
Benfica confirm bid has been made for Man Utd and Arsenal target
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Yahoo sports90min
·21 July 2024
Benfica president Rui Costa has revealed the club have received a bid from Paris Saint-Germain for teenager Joao Neves, who has been linked with moves to Manchester United and Arsenal.
The 19-year-old enjoyed an incredible debut season for Benfica, registering 55 appearances across all competitions while contributing to the team's second place finish in Liga Portugal.
Neves' performances have attracted the attention of a number of clubs across Europe, with Premier League scouts reportedly monitoring the player towards the end of last season.
But the release clause written into Neves' Benfica contract is thought to stand at €120m - a figure which has been deemed too high by his list of potential suitors.
That hasn't stopped Paris Saint-Germain from making a move though, with Costa revealing not only that a bid had been made, but also that Benfica's willingness to sell doesn't necessarily hinge on Neves' release clause being paid in full.
"I never said that Joao Neves would only leave for his release clause and therefore, those claims are false," he said via A Bola. "What I can say in relation to Joao Neves is that there is an offer on the table.
Mikel Arteta could bring Neves to Arsenal / Nigel French/Allstar/GettyImages
"That has been in the news in the last days but I'm not going to say where this proposal stands. There is a proposal on the table which is being evaluated and is being discussed. But at this moment, Joao Neves remains a Benfica player.
"It's not that I want to hide the ins and outs because I understand that Benfica fans want to know whether Joao will be leaving or not. But at this moment, there are ongoing negotiations, so please allow me to be reserved about this subject so we can take care of what will be best outcome for Benfica."
PSG appear the most likely landing spot for Neves at this stage, with other interested parties United and Arsenal prioritising moves in other areas.
United may actually help facilitate PSG's move for Neves by purchasing Manuel Ugarte from the Ligue 1 giants - the Uruguayan is available for transfer after an indifferent first season in Paris and his €60m (£51m) asking price is yet to put off the Red Devils.