According to reports, Man Utd’s €60 million (£51 million) offer for Benfica midfielder Joao Neves was rejected after the Portuguese club established a new asking price.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have concluded a deal to acquire 27.7% of the Premier League club from the Glazer family, which is expected to result in numerous changes at Old Trafford over the summer.
Ratcliffe has already established stringent guidelines for Erik ten Hag or a new Manchester United manager to adhere to. The British tycoon desires that the club exclusively recruit players under the age of 25.
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One of their primary objectives for the summer transfer window is to acquire a new midfielder, and it appears that Neves, a player from Benfica, is their preferred candidate to enhance that position.
Fabrizio Romano, a transfer expert, verified earlier this year that Manchester United were monitoring the 19-year-old, sending scouts to observe the Portugal international.
In March, Romano stated that the Red Devils and Manchester City are both monitoring Benfica’s young midfielder, Joao Neves, in anticipation of potential midfield acquisitions.
“Benfica will require the release clause of €120m [£103m] to be activated, which makes the transaction challenging. However, Premier League clubs are interested in scouting the player.” As of now, no club has approached Benfica to initiate negotiations; therefore, the possibility remains totally open.
And now, according to reports in Portugal, Manchester United has submitted their initial offer of €60 million (£51 million) for Neves in order to surpass their competitors, which include their arch-rivals Liverpool.
However, Benfica director Rui Costa has promptly rejected the initial proposal, stating that the Portuguese club is unwilling to initiate negotiations for a sum that is less than €100 million (£85 million).
Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, PSG, and Bayern Munich are all reportedly interested in acquiring the Portugal international, but Manchester United are “further along.”
It is alleged that Costa has now communicated to the transfer market in a “clear” manner that they are striving to achieve a release clause that is as close to Neves’ €120m as feasible.
The report states that Rui Costa’s rejection of the €60m offer is a clear message to the market: he is willing to relinquish João Neves’ aptitude in exchange for a three-digit check worth millions.
Last month, Romano also disclosed that Antonio Silva, Neves’ teammate at Benfica, has been investigated by Manchester United.
Romano stated, “I am also cognizant of recent reports regarding the duo of Joao Neves and Antonio Silva, who are associated with Benfica and United.” Both players have been the subject of extensive scouting by Manchester United for several months. However, it is important to consider that they are expected to be highly expensive.
“There have been no official bids for Neves or Silva thus far; however, the summer will be particularly competitive.” Silva is perceived as the more probable candidate for Benfica’s biggest sale, as opposed to Neves, according to Portuguese reports. However, my understanding is that the decision is contingent upon the proposals that are submitted.