Benfica give Man United new asking price for superstar midfielder after rejecting opening offer

Benfica give Man United new asking price for superstar midfielder after rejecting opening offer

Benfica have rejected an opening offer of €60million (£51m) from Manchester United for midfielder Joao Neves.

United are eager to bring in a new defensive midfielder this summer with Casemiro’s future at the club looking increasingly uncertain following a difficult second season in Manchester.

Neves, 19, has emerged as the club’s top target for that position with United eager to bring him to Old Trafford in the coming months.

United have now tested the water with an opening bid of €60m, Record report, one that has been immediately rejected by Benfica.

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Neves has a release clause of £105m written into his contract, the same figure Chelsea were forced to pay up when they signed Enzo Fernandez from the Portuguese giants 18 months ago.

Should Neves leave, Benfica president Rui Costa wants a fee as close to that release clause as possible but the report suggests negotiations could start at £85m.

United are not the only club interested in the midfielder, however, with Liverpool, Chelsea. Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich all keen.

But United’s interest is the most advanced, although they will have to increase their bid considerably to land one of Europe’s most promising young talents.

Neves replaced Fernandez in Benfica’s midfield following the latter’s move to Chelsea in January last year and has been a mainstay ever since.

He will hope to line up alongside Bruno Fernandes for Portugal at Euro 2024 this summer with the Manchester United captain convinced his young teammate can thrive in the Premier League.

‘I don’t know if United rumours are true, but I know he is ready for that big jump,’ said Fernandes in March.

‘He is an excellent player, he’s with the National team. That’s also why the big clubs are after him.’

In January, Benfica took the unusual step of releasing a statement to deny reports United had already held talks over a deal for the Portuguese midfielder