Manchester United appear to have been in desperate need of midfield additions since the Roy Keane era, with it difficult for any manager since Sir Alex Ferguson to consistently get the midfield right.
That’s probably the case with a lot of clubs, and is why talented midfielders come with a premium attached in the transfer market.
A good example of that is 19-year-old João Neves, who Record report is ‘one of the most coveted players’ at Benfica and ‘one of the best-rated youngsters’ in Europe.
The young midfielder has a long contract which contains a €120m release clause. According to Record, he’s of interest to Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United.
Out of those it’s easily Erik ten Hag’s side which has been linked the most, with Manchester United thought to have been following João Neves before he even broke through to Benfica’s first team.
In an ideal world, Benfica would keep him for a few more years, but Record point out the reality probably won’t allow that utopia.
An exit is an ‘increasingly likely scenario’ this summer, and there’s no doubt the Manchester United links will only increase.
That €120m clause and paying it all in one go could be an issue for the Red Devils. However, there’s probably the chance of making up some of it via bonuses and also spreading the payments over the course of the player’s contract.
