Manchester United have reportedly launched a £51m bid to sign SL Benfica star Joao Neves this summer, as per the Portuguese outlet Record.
After joining the Red Devils from Real Madrid back in 2022, Casemiro enjoyed a promising debut campaign at Old Trafford, helping his side finish third in the Premier League and win the Carabao Cup.
However, the Brazilian couldn’t manage to replicate the same performance in the recently concluded season and it has been suggested that United are ready to cash-in on him this summer.
So, it appears Man Utd are exploring the market to sign a new deep-lying playmaker as a potential replacement for Casemiro. A few names have recently been linked with a move to Old Trafford with Amadou Onana being among them, but Neves is also on their radar.
Now, according to the report by Record, Man Utd are keen on signing the Benfica star and they have already submitted a formal £51m proposal to secure his signature.
Neves to Manchester United
However, the report states that the Eagles have rejected the offer as they don’t want to let their star man leave for anything less than £86m. So, the record Premier League champions will have to splash a huge fee to purchase the 19-year-old.
It has been suggested that Man Utd aren’t the only club interested in him as Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are also keen on purchasing him. So, it will be extremely difficult for United to acquire his service by beating their rivals.
Neves is a sensational young midfielder and possesses the necessary qualities to become a world-class player in future. He is technically sound, has the ability to play out against the opposition press, has an eye for long-range passing and also can contribute defensively.
Although his defensive qualities aren’t as good as his qualities with possession, he has plenty of time on his side to sharpen up that attribute. So, he would be a great coup for the Red Devils if they purchase him. However, it will be difficult for United to sign him if Benfica stay firm on their huge valuation.
