Benfica starlet Joao Neves has a release clause of €120million (£105m) with no plans for his club to cash in on the midfielder in January amid interest from Manchester United.
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United have deployed scouts to watch over the 19-year-old midfielder this season, watching on as he scored a late equaliser in the Lisbon derby against Sporting Lisbon prior to the international break.
The Portugal international has helped filled the void left by Enzo Fernandez’s move to Chelsea last January, forcing his way into the starting XI following the Argentine’s £105m move to Stamford Bridge and serving as a key player in midfield this season.
Neves is highly regarded at Benfica and has an identical release clause on his contract.
While United are carefully monitoring his progress, Fabrizio Romano reports the Portuguese giants will not consider a January exit and have no intention of opening talks with any interested sides.
Neves has been playing alongside Bruno Fernandes during the international break with the United captain admitting he would love to see his compatriot join him in Manchester.
‘It has to be the Man United coach who says whether he has a place or not,’ Fernandes said.
‘He’s [Neves] a great player, I don’t know if he would have a place or not. It depends on the coach and his ideas.
‘But he’s an excellent player and an excellent kid, very professional, he will have a bright future wherever he goes.
‘I would love to have him by my side. Because he has quality and will have a bright future. It depends on him. What I want most is the best for him’.
United have struggled in midfield despite the additions of Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat in the summer transfer window.
The former Chelsea star has started just one of United’s last seven games with Amrabat an unused sub in their last two Premier League games.
Ten Hag has settled on the pairing of Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen in recent weeks but a knee injury suffered by the Dane against Luton will force the manager to shuffle his pack again.
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