Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has encouraged Benfica starlet Joao Neves to join him at the Etihad.
The Premier League champions are known to be scouting the 19-year-old, along with rivals Manchester United and Arsenal, and asked whether he had spoken to Pep Guardiola about signing the player, Silva replied:
“I don’t need to convince him [Guardiola], because Joao Neves convinces almost all coaches in the world with the way he works and the energy he gives. And he won’t be a very cheap player, I imagine it won’t be easy to get into the race for him…”
“I would say to him: ‘Go to City right now!’ It’s not easy, he’s a player that many clubs want because of the success he had last season. I don’t have any inside information, but I think so, from what I hear…”
“As a Portuguese and because he is someone I appreciate a lot, I would like to have him by my side [at City]. But I want him to take the best path, be it stay at Benfica or leave.”
Neves will be an expensive purchase
As Silva points out, the Portuguese international is not going to be available on the cheap. Benfica are reportedly holding out for his release clause which currently stands at €120m (£102m).
It means that the Cityzens would have to break their record in order to secure Neves’s services this summer.
City are in the market for a midfielder
With Kalvin Phillips set to be sold, and doubts over the futures of both Matheus Nunes and Kevin De Bruyne, Pep Guardiola’s side are expected to reinforce their options in the middle of the park.
Whether they will listen to Silva and splash out Neves, though, it seems unlikely, but we shall have to wait and see how this transfer story develops.
