Man Utd 'plot' summer move for Benfica star hailed by Diogo Dalot

Manchester United are reportedly considering a move for highly-rated Benfica midfielder Joao Neves.

The 19-year-old has directly benefitted from Enzo Fernandez’s decision to leave the Portuguese giants to make a £100m move to Chelsea last January. Neves was added to Benfica’s first-team squad in the aftermath of the move after impressing in their academy setup and has gone on to prove his ability at the highest level.

The youngster made his senior debut in a 3-0 defeat against Braga before making his mark on his Champions League bow by setting up a goal in a 5-1 home win against Belgian side Club Brugge. Neves ended the season with one goal in 20 senior appearances, with his maiden senior strike coming in a 2-2 draw with arch rivals Sporting CP.

The midfielder has continued to form a key part of Benfica’s side throughout the new season and his performances earned him a first call-up to the senior Portugal squad as he made his debut as a late substitute in their 5-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina on Monday.

His development has caught the eye of Red Devils defender Diogo Dalot, who praised Neves for his progress into the senior squad at a young age, telling Record: “I’ve also been in his role and I believe there is always a nervousness. He has all the qualities to be here, he showed it at Benfica.”

Neves’ form is believed to have attracted attention from a whole host of European football’s biggest clubs and one reporter has suggested United will be at the front of the queue as they look to persuade Benfica to sell their latest high-profile academy product.

He took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to say: “João Neves is a potential transfer target for ManUtd! Not in winter, but for summer - confirmed. The 19 year old midfielder is on the list of #MUFC for a long time. More top clubs are monitoring the top talent from SL Benfica.”