Exclusive: PSG accelerating in efforts to sign midfield wonderkid, says expert

Paris Saint-Germain are accelerating in talks to sign Benfica midfielder Joao Neves this summer, according to French football expert Jonathan Johnson.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for the latest edition of his Daily Briefing column, Johnson explained that PSG are looking to add another midfielder, with Neves making sense as a target to play alongside Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery in a first-choice midfield three for Luis Enrique.

This could likely mean PSG will sell players in that area of the pitch, according to Johnson, so it remains to be seen what will happen with the likes of Fabian Ruiz and Manuel Ugarte, who has been linked with Manchester United in Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive Daily Briefing column recently.

Neves has shown immense potential at Benfica, so it will be interesting to see how his career progresses if he does get the move to PSG.

One imagines the Portuguese wonderkid won’t come cheap, so PSG might well be the best-placed to afford this signing at the moment, especially with the money freed up from no longer paying Kylian Mbappe’s wages after his move to Real Madrid on a free transfer.

Neves transfer: PSG talks accelerating and midfielders could leave

“Joao Neves to PSG looks to be accelerating at the moment, with PSG stealing a march on other European competitors,” Johnson said.

“PSG are now in a better position to understand what kind of budget they’re working with the TV rights deal now resolved, and so they can now work on the players at the top of their wish list.

“As Fabrizio Romano reported in his column earlier today, PSG are looking to negotiate a deal with Benfica, with Neves happy to make the move to the Parc des Princes. It’s now down to the two clubs to reach an agreement, with Benfica insisting on their €120m release clause for Neves.

“Of course we know they’re set to miss out on Leny Yoro, who was a priority target, and they don’t want to let Neves pass them by in the same way. If you look at the PSG midfield at the moment, they’ve got Fabian Ruiz, who has just had an excellent Euro 2024 with Spain, then there’s Gabriel Moscardo who’s coming in after injury, so giving Luis Enrique a new option. Logically, it seems like Neves would be completing a midfield three alongside Vitinha and Warren Zaire-Emery, but there are quite a few options in that area of the pitch.

“Obviously there’s scope for Enrique to tinker with his tactics a bit and try new systems, but it could also be that one of those names moves on. Neves is an exciting talent, though, and I can see him becoming a key part of a midfield trio.”