Manchester United’s interest in Benfica star João Neves today gets a big story in the Portuguese media.
The piece comes from newspaper Record, who state the Red Devils have more than €100m ready to convince the Eagles to sell the midfielder.
It’s claimed that Manchester United see Neves’ signing as a ‘priority’ for next season, and could even spend more than the €105m used to sign Paul Pogba in 2016.
The Red Devils have reportedly scouted the 19-year-old many times this season, and will once again send an official to do so tonight, in Benfica’s derby against Sporting.
Manchester United are said to be ‘delighted’ with the good season Neves has been having, and they now want to have him playing with Bruno Fernandes in their midfield.
The problem is that Benfica, according to Record, are willing to keep the youngster, so the Red Devils may need to make a big effort for the player who’s protected by a €120m release clause.
The newspaper adds that there’ll potentially be a transfer between Manchester United and the Eagles in the summer, for Alvaro Carreras, who’s having a loan spell in Lisbon.
He hasn’t impressed so far but the pre-agreed bargain price could see Benfica simply go through with it in the hope he fulfils his potential.
It’s said his purchase would have nothing to do with Neves’ arrival, though. That’s something we’ve read before, as when it was said that the fullback’s loan to Benfica could give Manchester United a discount for some of their targets at the Lisbon side, the Eagles came up with an official statement claiming that was not true.
Such touchiness and dismissing false media claims was somewhat unusual, and perhaps it was a sign that Benfica know Manchester United could be coming for their latest super talent this summer.
