With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS at the helm, Manchester United are set to experience an extremely busy summer, with incomings and outgoings almost guaranteed.
Saturday’s latest 1-1 draw against Brentford highlighted the problems within the squad, with the midfield particularly struggling.
The Bees’ 31 attempts at goal underlined the lack of defensive support provided by the midfielders, but that has been a problem since the opening game against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Ratcliffe is also aware of the unreliable midfield, claiming that the team needs a Paul Scholes-esque player, which will be one of the main targets this summer.
Man Utd’s search for a new midfielder
According to reports from Portuguese outlet O Jogo, via Sports Witness, Man United are linked with a move for Joao Neves.
The Benfica wonderkid is set to be at the epicentre of a Premier League battle, with Liverpool and Chelsea set to rival United for his signature.
However, the midfielder has a huge release clause in his contract, with a fee of £103m set to be enough to secure his services this summer.
Although there are no reported concrete talks as of yet, the development of the Neves saga could get underway at the end of the campaign, without distractions on the pitch.
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ByTom LeverMar 26, 2024 Neves could be the next Paul Scholes
The Man United faithful have witnessed plenty of fantastic midfielders play for the club, but not many have been finer than Scholes.
Over 718 appearances for the Red Devils, Scholes cemented himself as a legend of the club, scoring 155 goals, with Sir Bobby Charlton describing Scholes as a “beautiful player to watch".
However, United haven't been able to replace the England international since he left in 2013, but funnily enough, Neves has plenty of similarities to the former United number 18, according to analyst Ben Mattinson, in regards to his “tenacity and technical ability.”
This season for Benfica, the 19-year-old has been a key player, playing 27 matches in the Primera Liga and scoring three goals, with one of those coming in last weekend’s 1-0 win over Chaves.
Goals
1
Touches
106
Pass accuracy
91%
Key passes
2
Duels won
13
Tackles
6
As you can see by the table above, it’s no surprise that Mattinson has also tipped the star to “become one of the best” midfielders in years to come, with his complete skillset making him stand out.
Neves’ ability to control the game and be technically secure regardless of pressure makes him very similar to Scholes, taking 106 touches, having a 91% pass accuracy, and making two key passes.
However, despite being just 5 foot 8, the Portugal international is also extremely impressive off the ball, winning 13 duels and completing six tackles.
It’s quite clear that Neves’ ceiling is extremely high, due to the fact that he can do everything, and has the energy to cover every inch of grass on the field.
In truth, if United were to sign the Portuguese maestro, Kobbie Mainoo and Neves could lockdown the midfield and dominate the Premier League for years to come, which must certainly excite Ratcliffe and the Red Devils faithful.