Manchester United may not have to spend as big as they thought in pursuit of a deal for Benfica starlet Joao Neves this summer.
The Red Devils have been strongly linked in recent months with a move for the teenage Portugal international, who has established a reputation at the Estadio da Luz over recent seaons as one of the most talented midfield prospects in Europe.
Reports last month stated that United had failed with an opening bid for long-term target Neves worth €70million (£59m), with Paris Saint-Germain similarly rumoured to have tabled an offer for a player also linked with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal.
Suggestions that Benfica would demand that the 19-year-old’s hefty €120m (£101m) release clause be met in full in order to sanction a summer sale of one of their prized assets appeared to present a significant barrier to any deal, though such claims have now been rubbished by the club’s president Rui Costa.
“I never said that Joao Neves would only leave for his release clause and therefore, those claims are false,” he told Portuguese outlet A Bola.
Costa did confirm that a new offer for Neves - widely thought to have come from PSG - had now been received, with Benfica currently weighing up whether or not to accept.
“What I can say in relation to Joao Neves is that there is an offer on the table,” he added. “That has been in the news in the last days but I'm not going to say where this proposal stands.
“There is a proposal on the table which is being evaluated and is being discussed. But at this moment, Joao Neves remains a Benfica player.
“It's not that I want to hide the ins and outs because I understand that Benfica fans want to know whether Joao will be leaving or not.
“But at this moment, there are ongoing negotiations, so please allow me to be reserved about this subject so we can take care of what will be best outcome for Benfica.”
Doubts continue to surround the United futures of several first-team players during a summer overhaul at Old Trafford under new part-owners Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos, with Antony, Jadon Sancho, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen all linked with exits.
Mason Greenwood has already left for Marseille and Willy Kambwala joined Villarreal, while Donny van de Beek is now with Girona and Omari Forson signed for Monza after Alvaro Fernandez completed a permanent transfer to loan club Benfica.
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Sofyan Amrabat has returned to Fiorentina after his season-long loan spell at United, who released the likes of Raphael Varane, Anthony Martial, Brandon Williams and Shola Shoretire at the end of their respective contracts.
The club agreed new deals with Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton before beginning what is expected to be a busy summer of spending with the arrivals of Netherlands forward Joshua Zirkzee and teenage French defender Leny Yoro from Bologna and Lille respectively.
United also continue to be heavily linked with the likes of Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite, Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt, PSG midfielder Manuel Ugarte and Arsenal’s prolific young striker Chido Obi-Martin, among others.
