The summer silly season is here, so it is time for Manchester United to get going on their transfer business, and Benfica midfielder Joao Neves has been a top target of the club for a long while now. Team captain and MVP Bruno Fernandes has done his best to try and recruit his countryman, but Benfica are going to play hardball in negotiations for their prized asset.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, according to multiple reports, put up a £51 million bid, but it was immediately rejected by the Portugese club.
?? Benfica stance on João Neves is very clear: €120m release clause or no plans to negotiate for his exit this summer.
Man United, Arsenal and Man City scouts have been monitoring João for months, Benfica hope to keep him at the club. pic.twitter.com/gS4bmYYpHz
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 4, 2024
The race for Neves will be a very competitive one, as there are numerous potential big money suitors in the running. As the tweet from Fabrizio Romano above conveys. United have been sending scouts to go watch Neves for a couple years now.
Elsewhere Sofyan Amrabat has now seen his loan deal, for the duration of the 2023/24 campaign, come to an end. There is a clause in the contract to turn the loan into a permanent move, for €20million, plus €5m more in add-ons.
Will he stay at United, or return to ACF Fiorentina?
Fiorentina sporting director Daniele Prade has said that he would like Amrabat to come back to Italy.
“I would keep him in Florence but it doesn’t seem like what he has in mind,” he said. “I think he wants to stay in the Premier League but we haven’t heard from anyone yet since.”
However, the player himself has said that he wants to stay.
“Do I already know what I’m going to do next year? No. We are going to talk,” Amrabat has been quoted.
“Staying is certainly an option. Look, I think it has been a very difficult season. For Manchester United it needs to be much better, and also for me personally.”
With Casemiro very likely on his way out, United probably should keep Amrabat around, as they will need depth at the position.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network and the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.