Manchester United to 'battle' Liverpool for £128m midfield ace

The focus may be on finishing the season strongly at Old Trafford with an FA Cup semi-final and a battle for European football to secure but that hasn't stopped the transfer rumours.

And reports from abroad claim there is strong transfer interest from Manchester United in Benfica's João Neves but they face stiff competition from elsewhere.

Premier League rivals Liverpool are still looking to sign another defensive midfielder and a new report from Portugal has connected Liverpool to Benfica's João Neves.

O Jogo has reported that the Premier League title challengers have 'joined the race' to sign the 19-year-old rising star, alongside Manchester United and Chelsea, who have been keen 'for a while' (relayed via Sport Witness). Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have also shown interest in the teenager, who has not missed a single match for Benfica this season.

Neves is currently under contract until 2028, with a reported €120 million (£102m) release clause protecting his position at the club. There have been further claims that Benfica may increase that figure to €150 million (£128m).

There has been no report of an official approach from Liverpool or their Premier League rivals for Neves yet but the rising interest in him could make for an interesting summer.