Man Utd spurred on for £202m super deal as club chief admits ‘pressure’ to sell star pair exists

Benfica vice president Luis Mendes has admitted that the club are “under pressure” to sell stars due to their finances, giving Manchester United hope of snaring Joao Neves and Antonio Silva.

The new era at United under Sir Jim Ratcliffe is sure to be kicked off with some huge signings if financially viable this summer. The part-owner has pledged to take the Red Devils back to the top of world football, and that’s simply not possible with the current squad.

While some sales will be needed to spend huge money, the ruthless chief will likely not think twice about shipping out players he does not feel will be able to do the job.

He has already got some expensive players on his mind, so that will be a necessity.

The likes of Rafael Leao and Ivan Toney have been linked of late.

Both of those attacking talents are likely to command large sums, but United are also tracking a couple of younger players that will cost a bomb due to their standing at a European outfit.

Indeed, Benfica pair Neves and Silva are both on the radar, and together they should cost around £202million, with the former’s release clause set at £102million, and Silva’s price possible reaching £100million.

United scouts have been at games to watch the pair, and it seems they have been impressed with what they saw.

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Benfica ‘pressure’ spurs United on

It seems the route to the transfers of the pair could be easier than first expected, too.

That’s as the club’s vice president, Mendes, has admitted there might be more pressure on them to sell than there is on other sides due to their financial situation after being asked specifically about the United targets.

“Any SAD is obliged to sell players. If we look at it, 90 to 95 per cent of European clubs sell players to balance their accounts. Even Real Madrid themselves had to do it last year,” Mendes told O Jogo.

“If we want to invest in training, in new players, we have to sell players.

“Benfica has to sell players. What you have to analyse at the right time is what the market offers players and then make a decision. That decision has not been made today.

“But we are under pressure to sell because we have a capital situation that allows us to accumulate a loss, albeit a slight one.”

Benfica won’t want to lose money, so while no decision has been made on the damaging exits, good enough bids could force their hand.

United could be sorted for a decade

But given the fact they might have to sell at least one of the players and maybe both, they could drop their valuations, meaning Neves could cost less than his release clause, and Silva could cost less than first expected.

If that gives United a chance to snare an 19-year-old who is already bossing midfields – an area they’re weak in – and ranking highly in essentially every metric there is and a 20-year-old who could rectify their defensive weaknesses, they’ll surely jump at it.

A host of top clubs are after both players, but Ratcliffe’s desire to ensure his side get right back to the top could see him prevail and kick things off in fantastic fashion at Old Trafford, with two players who could conceivably rule the Premier League for the next decade.

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