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Benfica president Rui Costa said they have a bid for Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) target Joao Neves. He added that they are evaluating the offer but nothing is decided yet.
Neves has a €120 million release clause but Costa has said they are not holding out for the full amount and that they are ready to negotiate a fee. He told Portuguese newspaper A Bola (via The Mirror):
"I never said that Joao Neves would only leave for his release clause and therefore, those claims are false. What I can say in relation to Joao Neves is that there is an offer on the table. That has been in the news in the last days but I'm not going to say where this proposal stands."
Costa added:
"There is a proposal on the table which is being evaluated and is being discussed. But at this moment, Joao Neves remains a Benfica player. It's not that I want to hide the ins and outs because I understand that Benfica fans want to know whether Joao will be leaving or not. But at this moment, there are ongoing negotiations, so please allow me to be reserved about this subject so we can take care of what will be best outcome for Benfica."
Reports have suggested that PSG tabled a €70 million bid for Neves. Manchester United are also linked with the midfielder, while Manchester City are also said to be keeping tabs.
Roberto Martinez praises PSG and Manchester United target Joao Neves
Roberto Martinez heaped praise on Joao Neves during Euro 2024. Speaking on the FIVE podcast (via The Mirror), the Portugal manager said the PSG and Manchester United target is "intelligent."
"He's an intelligent midfielder. He's a six who can be an eight, he can get into the box, finishing situations, but his work is more about, to always be in the right positions centrally," Martinez said. "He can receive the ball in any position, very strong with both feet, and he's got a low sense of balance, [that] allows him to protect the ball really well."
PSG are leading the race for Neves and are keen on sealing the deal soon. They believe the Manchester United target will be the next big thing in football.
