Manchester United have reportedly submitted a £51m offer for an "excellent" player who Bruno Fernandes rates highly, as they look to get their first summer deal over the line.
Man Utd transfer news
The Red Devils continue to be linked with a host of players this summer, with reinforcements needed all over the pitch, having fallen disappointingly short of any European qualification in the Premier League this season.
With Casemiro expected to move on before the 2024/25 campaign gets underway, finding a new midfielder has to be seen as key business, and Barcelona ace Frenkie de Jong has once again emerged as a transfer target, as has been the case a number of times in the past. It remains to be seen if he is willing to leave the Spanish giants, though.
Centre-back is also an important area of the pitch to focus on, with Lisandro Martinez the only genuinely excellent option at the heart of the defence. Sporting CP stalwart Ousmane Diomande has been backed to come in to partner the Argentine at Old Trafford, having recently won the Primeira Liga title, starting 25 games in the competition in the process.
Wolves forward Mathues Cunha is seen as another option to bolster Erik ten Hag's attack, having shown that he can thrive in the Premier League, while RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko continues to be looked at as an ideal replacement for the outgoing Anthony Martial.
Man Utd submit £51m offer for player
According to Record [via Man Utd News], Manchester United have submitted a £51m offer for Joao Neves, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe look to strike a deal for the highly-rated Benfica midfielder.
The bid has been swiftly rejected by the Portuguese giants, so it remains to be seen if the Red Devils will up the amount, which feels likely, considering how much they appear to like him.
Neves is a player who United should be looking to break the bank for this summer, seeing him as a massive part of the midfield rebuild, bringing him in as Kobbie Mainoo's long-term partner in the middle of the park.
He may only be 19 years of age, like the current Red Devils midfield hero, but he is already such an experienced player at a high level, making 75 appearances for Benfica and winning five caps for Portugal.
Neves will be hoping to add to that latter tally at Euro 2024 alongside Fernandes, in a team full of star talent, and the United captain has lauded his compatriot in the recent past: "He is an excellent player and an excellent kid. He will have a bright future wherever he goes."
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Paul Scholes loves him as a player.
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Neves is a player who has the potential to grow into one of Europe's best midfielders over time, and with United guilty of signing players for big money who are over the hill, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Raphael Varane, it is vital that they start bringing in exceptional young talent with world-class ceilings.