Manchester United Bid Rejected for Midfielder NevesManchester United Bid Rejected for Midfielder Neves Manchester United’s transfer strategy under new leadership is becoming evident, with the club rejecting an offer of €70 million for Portuguese wonderkid Joao Neves. Despite Neves’s €120 million buyout fee and rumors of a contract rejection, Benfica has remained adamant about waiting for offers above €100 million. United’s initial bid of €60 million was met with rejection, and a subsequent offer of €70 million has also been turned down. Portuguese newspaper Correio de Manha reports that French giants Paris Saint-Germain made a similar offer, which was also rejected. Benfica president Rui Costa has indicated that Neves is too valuable to the club to sell. Neves’s potential may be further showcased on Friday when Portugal faces France in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals. Whether United or PSG will increase their bids to meet Benfica’s asking price remains to be seen.
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Manchester United are beginning to find their feet in the transfer market as the club’s top executives begin to take shape.
Dan Ashworth has finally arrived at Old Trafford after moving from Newcastle to become sporting director, while Omar Berrada will join from Manchester City in just over a week to become CEO.
Erik ten Hag has now signed a one-year contract extension until 2026, with Rene Hake as assistant manager.
Now that the management team is in place, the new focus on recruitment can be implemented. Berrada has made it clear that the club should not overpay for transfer targets.
Now, just days after Ashworth joined United, we may already be seeing this approach in practice.
A month ago, United made a bid for Portuguese wonderkid Joao Neves, offering €60 million for the midfielder.
This was rejected by Benfica, with the Portuguese club continuing to wait for offers above €100 million, with the 19-year-old having a buyout fee of €120 million. In addition, Neves had reportedly rejected attempts from his club to extend his contract, increasing the likelihood of his departure from Portugal.
And today’s local Portuguese newspaper reports that United have reportedly revised their offer and not given in to the Primeira Liga club’s demands.
Correio de Manha reported that the Red Devils have now made a second offer, worth €70 million. For those following, this is only €10 million more than their first offer and still far from the player’s release clause.
According to the newspaper, French giants Paris Saint-Germain have put in a large portion of the same amount, but Benfica have rejected offers from both United and PSG.
Ultimately, Benfica president Rui Costa indicated that he believes Neves is too important to the club to part with.
So it looks like the Portuguese midfielder will stay in Lisbon for a while longer.
Whether this will also apply if another higher bid comes in than the asking price remains to be seen. Neves may get the chance to further showcase his talent on Friday when his country Portugal takes on France in the quarter-finals of UEFA Euros 2024.
