SL Benfica “evaluating” Joao Neves bid, Man United heavily involved | OneFootball

The name of João Neves has become important to Manchester United for two reasons this summer.

The prodigiously talented midfielder, who turns 20 in September, was reported to be one of the Red Devils’ top transfer targets this summer.

There were even reports that United had offered Benfica €70 million for his services some weeks ago and that the offer was flatly refused.

It was claimed in the media that Ineos were told he would not be allowed to leave for under €100 million, or even for less than his €120 million release clause, depending on which paper you were reading.

United therefore abandoned their pursuit and started to target Paris Saint-Germain’s Manuel Ugarte, who the French club, coincidentally want to replace with Neves.

This week, PSG reportedly made a bid for the Benfica man of just €60 million plus €10 million in bonuses, with Benfica almost ready to deal at that amount. Meanwhile, PSG were said to be demanding over €60 million from United for Ugarte.

The story becomes murky at this point. Why would Benfica accept a lower offer for Neves from PSG than the one they rejected from United? And why would United pay PSG as much for a player the Parisians obviously believe is low par as the French club are willing to pay for Neves?

Yesterday, Benfica president Rui Costa shed some light on the issue with an important statement.

“I never said that João Neves could only leave through the clause and, therefore, it is false that I said a situation like that,” he said via O Jogo.

“What I can say in relation to João Neves is that it is true, and I will not hide it, that there is a proposal on the table.

“There is a proposal on the table that is being evaluated, that is being talked about, but, at the moment, João Neves continues to be a Benfica player.

“At the moment, there is an ongoing negotiation, as is the case with other players, and therefore, allow me to reserve myself, at this moment, to take care of things for what is best for Benfica.”

This tells us two things for sure and implies a third and fourth.

First, the reports that claim United were told they must pay the release clause were incorrect. Why, then, did they drop out of the running for their primary target? Or did they?

Second, a bid has been made, and it is likely this came from PSG.

The other thing that is implied by the fact that Costa specifically says there is one proposal is that, assuming it’s PSG’s, United did not lodge a bid of their own.

The big unanswered question now is whether United maintain an interest in Neves. If PSG continue to hold out for a huge amount for Ugarte, it would make sense for United to compete with them for Neves, their original first choice and arguably the far more exciting prospect.

PSG do still hold all the aces. Neves is reportedly keen to join them. They are also dangling the carrot of sending Renato Sanches the opposite way as part of their package. And superagent Jorge Mendes represents both Ugarte and Neves; he will surely want to sell two players rather than one.

However, as seen with another of Mendes’ clients, Leny Yoro, Ineos are capable of winning transfer deals that look stacked against them. Perhaps they will have a trick up their sleeve again in the case of João Neves.

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