Benfica are facing a fight to keep highly-rated Portuguese talent Joao Neves this summer amid serious interest from Manchester United.
According to Record, the Portuguese giants are now making a last-ditch attempt to keep the youngster, promising him a pay rise if he remains at the Estadio da Luz this summer.
Neves was a mainstay for Benfica last season, featuring 55 times across all competitions and chipping in with three goals and two assists.
He only joined the senior team in January last year, so the Portuguese heavyweights are determined to keep him for at least one more season.
However, the European giants are circling with keen interest, so they understand it’ll be difficult to keep Neves beyond this summer.
Benfica have slapped a whopping £85 million asking price on Neves, but United are reluctant to meet their excessive demands.
The Red Devils recently launched a second offer worth around £59m, but it wasn’t enough to convince Benfica to sell.
The Eagles have promised to improve Neves’ current contract if he remains at the club this summer, but it may not be enough to convince the youngster to turn down a lucrative move abroad.
While United are determined to negotiate a lower fee for Neves, they could be forced to ramp up their efforts with Manchester City now in the race.
The Premier League champions are in the market for a potential replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, who has reportedly agreed personal terms with Saudi Pro League giants Al-Ittihad.
Losing out to their local rivals in the race for Neves would be a huge slap in the face for United, but they’ll need to table an offer that’s closer to Benfica’s valuation.
Meanwhile, United are getting closer to signing Bayern Munich defender Matthijs de Ligt and Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee.
They’re also in talks with Paris Saint-Germain for defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte and are reportedly preparing a third bid for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com.
