Premier League giants Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have all been in contact with Joao Neves but the midfielder looks set to stay at Benfica with no club willing to trigger his £102 million release clause.
EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
HITC understands that, a year-and-a-half after Benfica lost Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea for a nine-figure sum, any club looking to take his Estadio da Luz successor away from Lisbon will have to part with a similar fee.
Of course, when Chelsea made Fernandez the most expensive footballer in Premier League history back in January 2023, the former River Plate playmaker had a World Cup winners’ medal under his belt after proving himself on the biggest of stages.
Joao Neves, a lot earlier on in his development than Fernandez, has caught the eye of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.
But Benfica, who feel Neves is a footballer in the same bracket as the Argentina international, can sleep a little easier with none of the teenager’s Premier League-based admirers ready to stump up the 120 million euros required to trigger the clause in his contract.
Arsenal and Liverpool like Benfica star Joao Neves
Intermediaries, HITC have been told, are hoping to set up offers from clubs in the hope that Benfica could be persuaded to hold talks. But there will be no negotiations as long as Neves’ release clause goes untouched.
Still only 19, the 2023/24 campaign was the first in which Neves was a regular in the Benfica XI. He made a remarkable 55 club appearances under Roger Schmidt last term as the Lisbon giants missed out on the title to city rivals Sporting, forcing his way into the Portuguese national team ahead of this summer’s European Championships.
“I don’t know if United rumours are true. But I know he is ready for that big jump,” Portugal team-mate and Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes recently told Sport TV.
“He is an excellent player. He’s with the National team, that’s also why the big clubs are after him.”
Perfect for Mikel Arteta or Arne Slot
An agile and highly-intelligent deep-lying midfielder, Neves is part of that modern generation of ‘number sixes’ who dominate the game with control and poise rather than aggression and physicality. With that in mind, a player as comfortable and expressive in possession looks well suited to Mikel Arteta‘s Arsenal, particularly with Thomas Partey’s future uncertain and Jorginho not getting any younger.
Liverpool, meanwhile, have Wataru Endo and Alexis Mac Allister as their options for the number six spot. The former is 31, however, while the latter is more suited to an attacking role.
HITC understands that, in addition to Neves, Liverpool are admirers of both Mats Wieffer and Quinten Timber. The Feyenoord duo shone under new Anfield boss Arne Slot during the 2022/23 Eredivisie-winning campaign.
Arsenal, meanwhile, have installed Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi as their number one midfield target ahead of Everton’s Amadou Onana, Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes and Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz. Danilo of Nottingham Forest is also an option.
Zubimendi’s clause is worth around half of Joao Neves’, though the signs suggest that the silky Spain international is in no rush to leave Anoeta.
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