Euro Paper Talk: Man Utd burst past Man City by making first approach for Portuguese ace; ‘inevitable’ Tottenham star will leave in 2024
Manchester United have taken their first step towards signing a Portuguese sensation, in a move which could see Manchester City lose out, it is ‘inevitable’ a senior player will leave Tottenham next year, while Wednesday’s Euro Paper Talk includes a big update on Jurgen Klopp’s potential successor at Liverpool.
MAN UTD, MAN CITY BATTLE INTENSIFIES
Man Utd have let Benfica know they are firmly interested in midfielder Joao Neves as they try to beat City in the race for his signature, according to reports.
Neves is a 19-year-old defensive midfielder who is already making a big impact at Benfica, despite his tender age. Last term, the teenager made 20 first-team appearances, helping Benfica win the Portuguese title and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League, where they lost to Inter.
Neves looks set to have an even bigger impact for Benfica this season, as he has featured in every single one of their matches so far.
However, it might be the last campaign the starlet spends at the Estadio da Luz, as there is growing interest in his services.
On August 31, it was claimed that Man Utd could make a big-money move to sign Neves, who could eventually succeed from Casemiro in Erik ten Hag’s starting eleven.
But on Saturday, Man Utd discovered that the release clause in Neves’ new five-year contract is worth a whopping €120million (£104m), and Benfica consider this to be ‘non-negotiable’.
And there was even more bad news for the Red Devils on Monday when City joined them in the hunt for Neves and were named as the frontrunners to secure a deal.
Portuguese outlet A Bola have now provided an update on the situation, as cited by Man Utd News. They state that Man Utd have moved ahead of City in the pursuit by taking their first step towards landing Neves.
Red Devils ‘express interest’ in landing City target
Man Utd have ‘expressed their interest’ in signing him to Benfica. It seems Neves, who could soon earn his first senior Portugal cap after being called up to Roberto Martinez’s squad, is a concrete target for Ten Hag.
Of course, Man Utd bolstered their midfield in the summer by capturing both Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat. But, as mentioned previously, Neves could replace Casemiro in the long run as the Brazilian is now 31 and entering the twilight years of his career.
Man Utd’s approach for Neves could result in City following suit and registering their interest in him as well. At this rate, it would not be a surprise if the two Manchester giants got into a bidding war for the rising star next summer.
As per fellow Portuguese outlet O Jogo, Benfica would ideally like to keep Neves in their squad until summer 2025. That could change though if the player reveals his desire to move on and take a big next step in his career.
This is certainly a transfer link to keep an eye on over the coming months, as Man Utd and City battle to put themselves in pole position for when Neves eventually opts to leave Portugal.
TOTTENHAM EXIT IS ‘INEVITABLE’
It is guaranteed Ivan Perisic will swap Tottenham for his former club Hajduk Split next year, with the Croatian press even claiming it is ‘inevitable’ that the move will happen. (24 Sata)
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso has a clause in his contract which means he can leave if one of his former clubs makes a sufficient bid for him. This means Alonso could become Jurgen Klopp’s successor at Liverpool, though the former midfielder also has the potential to join either Bayern or Real Madrid. (Bild)
Christian Eriksen has surprisingly admitted he is the ‘wrong type of player’ for Ten Hag’s system at Man Utd. (Ekstra Bladet)
Borussia Dortmund rejected the opportunity to sign Granit Xhaka from Arsenal in the summer as they thought he was too expensive and did not have enough resale value. (Bild)
Lionel Messi is only focused on Inter Miami, despite rumours of a loan return to former club Barcelona. (Fabrizio Romano)
MLS and Saudi teams pushed hardest to sign Eden Hazard after his Madrid departure, but the winger ‘was not convinced’ by these proposals and instead opted to retire. (Fabrizio Romano)
TOP BRIGHTON ACE PICKING UP INTEREST
The agent of Brighton star Pervis Estupinan, Manuel Sierra, has confirmed that Premier League and La Liga sides are monitoring his client’s situation ahead of possible moves. (Radio Cobertura)
Tottenham could turn the tables on the Saudi Pro League by raiding Al Ittihad for sidelined winger Jota. (CaughtOffside)
Goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has stated that his move from Chelsea to Madrid was finalised in just two phone calls. However, he is refusing to think about what will happen when his loan ends next summer. (AS)
Former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Antonio Conte says he is enjoying spending time with his family amid rumours of a Napoli move. Although, he admits that ‘great respect and education’ are needed for a coach to succeed at Napoli. (Sky Sport Italia)
Barca have drawn up a three-man shortlist of potential midfield signings. It includes Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen, Royal Antwerp wonderkid Arthur Vermeeren and Porto’s Alan Varela. (Mundo Deportivo)
