Manchester City are now starting to ramp up interest in Benfica No.87 Joao Neves – with Manchester United also keen.
That is according to Record in Portugal.
So, what is the latest on Manchester City target Joao Neves? Let’s take a look…
What’s the story?
Well – according to Graeme Bailey of 90min – Manchester City are in pole position to sign the Portugal international.
Speaking on the Talking Transfers podcast, he said: “Fascinating player. City – from what I am told – are really in pole position at the moment. He looks special. City have a good relationship with Benfica, having signed Ruben Dias before.”
Now, Record believe Manchester City are starting to “tighten the siege” on Neves, which suggests efforts to bring the 19-year-old to the Etihad Stadium are intensifying.
The Portuguese news outlet add that Manchester United are also beginning to ramp up their pursuit of Neves, so we look set to have a fight between Erik ten Hag and Pep Guardiola for the precocious teenager.
Neves has already become a vital player for Benfica at the age of just 19, playing every minute of this season’s UEFA Champions League so far, while also making ten appearances in Liga Portugal.
The Manchester Evening News believe the Tavira-born maestro has a £100m release clause.
Manchester City should offer to loan Joao Neves back to Benfica
In our view, Manchester City should offer to loan Neves back to Benfica for the second half of the 2023/24 campaign in order to get ahead of Manchester United in this transfer battle.
The treble winners did similar when signing Julian Alvarez from River Plate in January 2022 – loaning the Argentina international back to the Estadio Mâs Monumental before welcoming him to Manchester the following summer.
Guardiola has no urgent need for Neves – who has been compared to Bruno Fernandes – so the Spaniard can afford to wait for the Portuguese wonderkid.
Ultimately, Manchester City should only offer a loan back if negotiations with Benfica prove to be difficult.
On the face of it, the club’s status as treble winners should be enough to make Neves himself ignore Manchester United and move to the Etihad Stadium anyway, so we doubt personal terms will be an issue.
Be sure to keep an eye on this situation, as anything could happen.
