Manchester United scouts were present at Benfica’s last match, as the Red Devils are eyeing some of the more sensible prospects, according to reports.
With Sir Jim Ratcliffe keen to rebuild the Man Utd squad this summer, the club looks set for a busy summer window with plenty of pros and cons.
With the long-term future of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen uncertain, the club are keen to bolster that reserve team this summer with a more youthful alternative.
Similarly, they are also signing a new centre-back, as Raphael Varane has been expected to leave at the end of the season lately, given that his contract has expired.
With those positions in mind, Man Utd turned to a duo from Benfica. According to Portuguese outlet Record, Man Utd’s scouts were available for Benfica’s last match.
The first player they looked at was Joao Neves, who has generated a lot of buzz so far this season.
The 19-year-old midfielder has already made 67 appearances for Benfica and is attracting interest from all over Europe.
In addition to Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool have been linked with the midfielder. Neves has a contract with Benfica until 2028, but his deal includes a mammoth €120 million (£102. 7 million) release clause.
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Neves would be a very good addition to the Man Utd team, he is not the only Benfica player who has been tracked lately through the Red Devils.
According to the same report, scouts were also following Antonio Silva. The 20-year-old centre-back has been a target for Manchester United for some time and the club are obviously doing their homework on the player.
Silva has a contract until 2027 and has a clause in his contract worth €100 million (£85. 7 million).
Earlier reports earlier this year claimed that United had contacted Gestifute to reach an agreement for Silva.
While his release clause amounts to €100 million, the Red Devils can reach an agreement for around €50 million (£42. 8 million). However, it remains to be seen whether Benfica would be willing to settle for an offer for Silva that represents part of his release clause.
The defender has a brilliant long career ahead of him and, as well as being linked with Man Utd, has also attracted the attention of Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid, according to TEAMtalk sources.
If Man Utd honour Silva and Neves’ release clauses, they will end up paying a whopping €220 million, so it makes sense that they would try to negotiate to reduce the costs of either player.
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