Sir Jim Ratcliffe's £100m Man Utd plan remains on track after Jorge Mendes hint
Jorge Mendes has dropped a hint that Joao Neves, who is a transfer target for Manchester United, could leave Benfica this summer.
Neves, 19, is one of European football's most exciting young midfielders. The Portuguese talent broke into Benfica's starting XI last season and helped them win the league title. He's been named as the Primeira Liga's Midfielder of the Month three times this term.
Neves has already played for Portugal's senior team to leave United interested. It's believed Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who will take charge of football operations at Old Trafford once his takeover is approved by the Premier League, is a fan of the emerging star.
Benfica recently released a statement to announce Neves was NOT for sale this month, but there's a chance he could leave the club at the end of the season. Ratcliffe is likely to build a brand-new squad at Old Trafford this summer, having appointed a new CEO.
Neves, who has a €120million (£103m) buyout clause in his contract, is represented by Mendes and the agent has confirmed Benfica will need to make a decision on whether to sell the midfielder and fellow youngster Antonio Silva, 20, at the end of the season.
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"Their (Benfica's) president Rui Costa will have to decide when he’s ready to consider a deal," Mendes, who previously represented Cristiano Ronaldo, told Portuguese outlet Record. "It’s always the club’s decision. I can take the proposals and the conditions."
Mendes was also asked whether Benfica have received offers for either Neves or Silva since the transfer window re-opened. He replied: "Yes, there have been situations in which any of them would have had offers if the door had been open.
"The players will stay at Benfica until the end of the season, that’s for sure, and then Rui Costa will decide what’s best to do. And then, as with all the other players: meetings, talks and, when the time is right, the decision will be made."
Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to build a new squad at Old Trafford (Getty Images)Do you think Manchester United should sign Joao Neves? Let us know in the comments below!
Ratcliffe is set to take charge of football operations at United after buying a 25 per cent stake in the club from the Glazers for £1.3billion. Omar Berrada, who is a leading executive at Manchester City, will start work as United's CEO at the end of this season.
Neves is on Ratcliffe's transfer shortlist and United are expected to enter talks with Benfica over a transfer this summer. The Portuguese giants, who are stubborn negotiators, may refuse to sell the teenager unless his hefty release clause is triggered.
This time last year, Chelsea were forced to pay Enzo Fernandez's release clause of £106m to sign him from Benfica. The Blues spent most of that transfer window negotiating with the Lisbon club and were pushed to pay over the odds for the Argentine.
Benfica's statement on Neves read: "Under no circumstances did... Benfica enter into talks with Manchester United or any other club about this player from their formation - nor does it intend to do so - so any information that points in another direction is false."
Benfica boss Roger Schmidt has also revealed: "We are halfway through the season and we have big goals. We certainly won't let any of these players leave. We need them and no one wants to leave, so there's no question. I talk to them every day, all of them."
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