If there's one area Manchester United need to strengthen during the 2024 summer transfer window, it's in midfield. The Red Devils have a possible exit and loan expiry in the middle of the park, which could leave them light on numbers and in need of reinforcements.
Of the midfielders in the squad, there are few players who look certain to stay at Old Trafford next season.
The captain, Bruno Fernandes, looks likely to leave, as well as Mason Mount, who was injured in the first season at Old Trafford. Kobbie Mainoo should stay, and the 19-year-old was a key player under Erik ten Hag last season.
Sofyan Amrabat's loan to Fiorentina has expired, and the Red Devils have decided not to trigger the clause in the Moroccan's contract that means they can buy him permanently. However, there is still a chance that they could negotiate with the Italian club to keep him at Old Trafford.
The likes of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, and Scott McTominay could also leave the club. The Daily Mail reported in April that the Brazilian, along with the Spurs midfielder, are two of the ten players who could leave the club this summer.
There are recent reports from Graeme Bailey that academy graduate McTominay is interested in Premier League rivals Fulham.
With that in mind, United could need to bolster their midfield and have recently been linked with international partner Fernandes.
Man Utd are targeting the Portuguese midfielder
The player in question here is Benfica and Portugal midfielder Joao Neves. The 19-year-old is wanted by a number of clubs this summer, and United are thought to have one side interested in adding him to their squad.
According to a report by Portuguese news channel, Correio da Manha, via The Faithful, the Red Devils are one of the parties looking to 'officially propose' a deal to sign Neves this summer, although they have been unsuccessful. .
According to the report, the Red Devils will have to pay the young star's release clause, which is currently £101m, thus making him the most expensive player in their history.
French giants Paris Saint Germain also had a £59m bid for the midfielder rejected by Benfica this summer, meaning both clubs have already rejected.
Although United and PSG are the only sides that have submitted, or are close to submitting a bid for the youngster, they are not the only parties interested. United's two rivals in the Premier League, the two Londoners, Arsenal and Chelsea, have also 'shown interest' in bringing the youngster to their clubs this summer.
Why Neves would be a good signing
Despite being only 19 years old, Neves played a key role for Benfica last season, leading to his selection in Portugal's Euro 2024 squad. of the league.
As a defensive midfielder, Neves is a fantastic passer, able to break up play with his impressive ball-winning skills. If United were to sign him, he would bring a high level of energy to the center of the park, as well as an impressive level of skill. Football commentator Ben Mattinson described the 19-year-old as “special”, and with good reason.
The Portuguese would be a better option for United to sign than Manuel Ugarte. The Red Devils are heavily linked with number 4 PSG who is representing Uruguay in the Copa America.
According to a report from Diego Munoz on 28th June, Ugarte is 'close to joining' the Old Trafford club, with The Express confirming he will be worth a large chunk of the £51m PSG paid him last summer. Ugarte made just 37 appearances in all competitions for Les Parisiens last season, with 25 of those appearances coming in Ligue 1.
The Uruguayan is a striker who won the ball, although he is not as developed as Neves. This is also shown when analyzing their pass statistics in FBRef. Per 90 minutes, the Portuguese midfielder averaged 6.65 passes, compared to just 4.05 for Ugarte.
Not only that, Neves pays tribute to the PSG man when it comes to passing the final third. He averages 6.89 passing yards per 90 yards, while Ugarte averages just 4.60 per game. The Benfica youngster also beats Ugarte in terms of their key pass stats, averaging 0.97 per game, compared to the Uruguayan's 0.65 key passes.
|
Neves vs. Ugarte pass statistics |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Number (90th percentile) |
Neves |
Ugarte |
|
Passes completed |
71.5 |
56.5 |
|
Continuous passes |
6.65 |
4.05 |
|
He moved on to the final third |
6.89 |
4.60 |
|
He goes to the penalty box |
0.89 |
0.28 |
|
Key passes |
0.97 |
0.65 |
|
Statistics from Fbref |
||
The 19-year-old Benfica midfielder also puts up better numbers than Ugarte when it comes to possession, although it's very close. First, Neves averages an improved carry, with 1.67 compared to just 0.74 for the PSG midfielder. He also attempts 2.84 times per 90 minutes, finishing with 1.60, which is also better than Ugarte. The 23-year-old tries to take 1.86, and only finishes 0.98.
Where Ugarte excels over Neves is off the ball. As mentioned above, he is an excellent ball-winner, and this shows with his 6.42 combined tackles and interceptions to trump Neves' 3.89 per game. Ugarte also puts up a bit of ball recovery stats, too, averaging 8.42 compared to Neves' 8.25.
Perhaps one of the biggest questions for Neves in United's midfield is his height, standing at 5″7. This means he may struggle in the air, especially given the Premier League environment. However, he has better aerial duel stats than Ugarte. The 19-year-old averaged 1.60 aerial duels per game, with a league-high 58.6% win rate.
Should the Red Devils decide to pull the trigger and sign Neves, they will be adding a third member to their Portuguese squad at Old Trafford, which currently includes Fernandes and Diogo Dalot. Of course, having a familiar face to help him settle in will be a huge asset if they bring Neves to the club.
All in all, without Neves' big money, this would be too good an opportunity for United to turn down. He will add a wealth of technical qualities alongside the likes of Mainoo and Fernandes, as well as being more than capable of managing. He certainly seems like a good fit for Ugarte and could be central to United's midfield for the next decade or so.
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