Manchester United have been collecting information on Benfica midfielder Joao Neves ahead of a summer move for his services, according to O Jogo (page 12).
The Red Devils are likely to invest in multiple positions this summer and a new defensive midfielder could be signed amid the inconsistent performances of Casemiro.
The Brazilian star has had an injury-plagued campaign with United. He is currently sidelined with a minor hamstring injury sustained in the lead-up to the Liverpool game.
The hierarchy could contemplate the prospect of selling him this summer. It appears the club are considering Neves as a potential successor to the 32-year-old.
O Jogo claim that United have been ‘collecting information’ from the outset on Neves as they look to beat competition from Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool for the wonderkid.
The Red Devils have received a huge boost in the pursuit of the midfielder with super-agent Jorge Mendes putting contract talks on hold with Benfica.
The Portuguese outfit were planning to hand a significant rise to Neves’ weekly salary while increasing his current release clause from €120 million to €150m.
Neves would be a perfect successor to Casemiro
Casemiro had a good debut season with United after his move from Real Madrid in 2022, but he has struggled to find the same consistency this term.
The Brazilian has become injury-prone with multiple muscular issues. It has been reported that he could consider a move to Saudi Arabia in the summer.
United received a proposal of around €70m from the Saudi Pro League last year. They will be hoping to receive a similar transfer offer when the season ends.
Neves would be a perfect candidate to succeed Casemiro in our opinion. He is much better with the ball at his feet and also possesses strong defensive skills.
He has completed 90 per cent of his passes in the Primeira Liga this term with an average of two tackles and 5.9 duels. He has also made 6.5 recoveries per outing.
The youngster has also completed 60 per cent of his dribbles. He has been good with his discipline too and has received only four yellow cards over the campaign.
He currently has a release clause worth €120m in his deal. United may need to pay the entire fee, considering the competition for his services this summer.
The outlay is definitely big for a 19-year-old, but he would represent value for money with his huge potential. Him and Kobbie Mainoo could form a fantastic double pivot.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com
