Agreed. There are plenty of good deals to be found in Portuguese football but Benfica are real shadow merchants when it comes to selling their players for big money. Not sure how they do it, maybe just great PR?
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Joao Neves | signed for PSG
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City had their luck with Ederson and Ruben Dias
There seems to be a symbiotic relationship between the Portugese press and their big clubs, whereby the papers and websites hype up talented young players beyond belief. They generate clicks and eyeballs and the clubs benefit from setting prices for players far and above their true value. It's clever and I'm surprised more countries don't do it.
I don't think it's just that. Benfica have a really good academy. How much would we be selling our youth products if we were in a smaller league? How much would Mainoo go for? Greenwood? Garnacho? Januzaj? Rashford? There's all these talents that could have gone for similar amounts if we were in there position. However, because we're not, we will never be looked at as a club that inflates their youth products to the degree Benfica get accused of.
Benfica may stick to their guns and make a move this summer anywhere impossible.
But if he moves it seems like the destination is almost certainly PSG and its hard not to see the whole situation as one being orchestrated by Mendes.
Mendes has been incredibly influential at PSG ever since Luis Campos gained power within the sporting director operation. He represents Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Ramos, Ugarte, Barcola, Asensio, Renato Sanches, and Danilo Pereira. Most of these players he brought there. Now he has a big problem. Luis Enrique has a good project going which is great for the club and for his clients but the manager does not want Ugarte and needs another midfielder who could play a pivot 6. The solution? Bring another client like Joao Neves there, who would be a much better fit for Luis Enrique's football, while finding a buyer for Ugarte.
I don't know if PSG will get him because it depends on Benfica but my general feeling is that other clubs like United and Arsenal who were tracking Neves may have never really had a chance.
But if he moves it seems like the destination is almost certainly PSG and its hard not to see the whole situation as one being orchestrated by Mendes.
Mendes has been incredibly influential at PSG ever since Luis Campos gained power within the sporting director operation. He represents Zaire-Emery, Vitinha, Ramos, Ugarte, Barcola, Asensio, Renato Sanches, and Danilo Pereira. Most of these players he brought there. Now he has a big problem. Luis Enrique has a good project going which is great for the club and for his clients but the manager does not want Ugarte and needs another midfielder who could play a pivot 6. The solution? Bring another client like Joao Neves there, who would be a much better fit for Luis Enrique's football, while finding a buyer for Ugarte.
I don't know if PSG will get him because it depends on Benfica but my general feeling is that other clubs like United and Arsenal who were tracking Neves may have never really had a chance.
If they are open to selling Ruiz, we should be all over that.
It is a matter of time until he is confirmed at PSG. I'm pissed, as most fans
That seems consistent with this Fabrizio tweet.
I think Mendes just had a master plan to move Neves to PSG and Ugarte out of the club this summer. Realistically, Benfica probably cannot afford to just say "release clause or nothing" when it is his client and its a very important transfer for him.
I really wish we would sign him.
Personally, very disappointed we'll miss out on him. Think he'll excel in an Enrique system.
Good the closer PSG get to signing this kid the closer we get to signing Ugarte.
Very disappointed. 
That’s a lot of money for a 19 year old. Would have been silly to spend so much on him with all the issues going on from a United perspective.
Very risky too considering similar cases of Joao Felix and Enzo Fernandez. They haven’t lived up to their price tags, especially Felix.
Very risky too considering similar cases of Joao Felix and Enzo Fernandez. They haven’t lived up to their price tags, especially Felix.
From the video of Ugarte in his thread I think he's exactly what we are crying out for. The biggest improvement for the team in the position most in need of it.
I'd love to be able to shoot that sort of money on one position for Neves but we have far too much to do this summer.
I'd love to be able to shoot that sort of money on one position for Neves but we have far too much to do this summer.
It’s pretty clear why we’re not in the race at all. He would be an ultra luxury signing with a huge price tag and big question of where to fit him in. Let’s see how he turns out at PSG.
Joao Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, Warren Zaire-Emery, etc.
How damn silky is that midfield?
That's so press resistant even TMZ couldn't find a way through.
How damn silky is that midfield?
That's so press resistant even TMZ couldn't find a way through.He is going to be very good at PSG, just like Vitinha is, although he might need some settling in period. If we have the funds and PSG continues to demand €70m for Urgate, Neves would be a better option in my opinion and then look to sign a DM on loan.
Joao Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, Warren Zaire-Emery, etc.
How damn silky is that midfield?
French league though, so nobody cares.
Well, no, but they will be playing in the CL however, and if anyone can get PSG to their first CL win it's probably Luis Enrique.
Joao Neves, Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz, Warren Zaire-Emery, etc.
How damn silky is that midfield?
They are also reportedly in for Desire Doue and this summer will be joined by Gabriel Moscardo (bought last January and loaned back to Corinthians), who is very very highly rated by many people around Brazilian football. Pretty sick group of young midfield talent.
And who knows he might be available a year for now rebated 15%...
I agree. Also PSG isn't Madrid or Barcelona. Where it's unlikely the player will leave in his prime years. Example being Yoro, if we had missed out now I don't think we would have another chance until he was 30.
Give it two/three years in Paris and Mendes will move Neves onto a bigger league.
Hoping for against the odds Berrada madness. Statement time.
Looks a talent but where do you play him?
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Probably on the pitch.
More reasonable answer is 6 or 8 depending on the composition of the rest of your midfield and what you want to do in that match.
I get that but feels a little like buying a talented player but no actual need is solved. A lot of people saying he is not a 6 etc.
He looks very talented but we need a structure to use that talent.
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I don’t think he fits into our current set up either. I’ve really tried to think about what has to change to make him work and I don’t think we’ll be able to without dropping Mainoo or Fernandes (which I don’t see happening).
As much as he’s a high potential player with clear talent, sometimes you have to accept we don’t have the role for them available.
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Having said that if we’re long term squad building Fernandes won’t be here forever and if he goes then you’ve got a nice space for a third midfielder like Neves.
I just don’t see us putting that much money into a non guaranteed starter this season.
I just don’t see us putting that much money into a non guaranteed starter this season.
If we were to put a huge outlay on a player this summer for £70m+, this player would have to be a winger IMO that will make an immediate impact to the starting XI but for this to happen one of Sancho, Rashford or Antony will have to be sold first.
Much rather “two of…”
I would much rather have all three sold if possible.
Still it would be a very good idea to sign Joao Neves ourselves
Neves is similar to mainoo i would say thats why are prefereing ugarte.
A base of Neves and Mainoo would be great. If either gets injured you’ve Mount there. Ugarte is a different thing. I do think though having a playmaking CB or two will make Ugarte a super signing. He just need to win the ball and knock it back to them or forward to Bruno.
Would Neves + Mainoo even be good enough defensively? Does Neves play as the sole DM for Benfica or alongside someone more defense minded?
To me, DM, Mainoo and AM (now Bruno eventually hopefully a proper playmaker) is the blueprint to go with.
Its why we need him and a Urgate type one. If Mainoo gets injured nobody else offer what he does in the squad and they can play together in some games. It all depends on if the club is able to raise enough money to afford both of them.
I quite fancy amad as an attacking midfielder in the longer term.
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He does play usually with a midfield 3 but he’s not got a fixed deep position.
Here’s his heat map from the league:
You can see he’s all over that middle third of the pitch.
Great player, terrific prospect but I’m not sure he’s the right guy to buy this season.
The question we have to ask ourselves is do we think Neves is a generational talent?
I've only seen highlights and a couple games of his, and to me he is very talented and he has the dog in him, kinda like Ugarte, in a different way of course.
We are never going to fix our team in one window, so do we go for Neves and keep him for the future along with Yoro, Kobbie, Rasmus, Garnacho, or do we go for someone less talented but fixes the problems we have now?
I would get Neves, get him in the team, play with and rotate with Kobbie, and worry about the next step next summer, we need to plan long term, because we aren't challenging next season with whoever we bring in.
I've only seen highlights and a couple games of his, and to me he is very talented and he has the dog in him, kinda like Ugarte, in a different way of course.
We are never going to fix our team in one window, so do we go for Neves and keep him for the future along with Yoro, Kobbie, Rasmus, Garnacho, or do we go for someone less talented but fixes the problems we have now?
I would get Neves, get him in the team, play with and rotate with Kobbie, and worry about the next step next summer, we need to plan long term, because we aren't challenging next season with whoever we bring in.
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