Sir Jim Ratcliffe's Man Utd have submitted an unsuccessful bid for Joao Neves (Image: Getty)
Manchester United have reportedly seen a £51million bid rejected for Benfica midfielder Joao Neves, with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe needing to dramatically increase the Red Devils' offer if they are to have a chance of landing the teenager this summer.
Neves made 55 appearances for Benfica across all competitions last term, establishing himself as one of their key players despite the fact he's still only 19 years old.
His performances have seen him rewarded with a spot in Portugal's senior squad for Euro 2024, as he prepares to bid for tournament glory alongside the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva.
With a solid run of games at the Euros threatening to stir up even more interest in Neves, United have seemingly tried to beat the rush by submitting a £51m offer to Benfica for the midfielder, according to Portuguese newspaper Record.
But the approach was swiftly turned down by Benfica sporting director Rui Costa. Neves' contract includes a whopping £102m release clause - exactly double the amount United put on the table.
While there are rumours suggesting Benfica would be willing to agree to a lower price, United are still miles away from meeting their valuation as reports indicate that Rui Costa is not prepared to enter into negotiations for any less than £85m.
Joao Neves could play an important role for Portugal at this summer's Euros (Image: Getty)
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If United and Sir Jim don't want to cough up the cash, any one of their rivals might do just that as Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have all been linked with Neves leading up to the summer transfer window.
The Red Devils will need new blood in the middle of the park if Casemiro leaves the club before the start of next season. The Brazilian's performances in 2023/24 left fans disappointed and he remains the subject of persistent links to the Saudi Pro League.
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United manager Erik ten Hag, whose future is still under review following a turbulent season, has already made it clear that he wants a midfielder this summer, along with a new striker and a centre-back to sure up his injury-hit squad.
"We need to sign an extra striker in the summer," Ten Hag told Voetbal International ahead of the FA Cup final. "And if we can sign another central midfielder and a replacement for [Raphael] Varane, things will look good again. If the team remains fit we can try and aim for top-four again."
