Bruno Fernandes sends Man United transfer message to INEOS over “mentally and technically ready” star

Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes believes his national teammate João Neves is ready for a big move to Old Trafford this summer.

The 19-year-old is a rumoured target for Ineos, who have been impressed with the midfielder’s composure since breaking into Benfica’s starting lineup last season.

While the Portuguese champions have previously denied links between Neves and Manchester United, who reportedly made an offer for the wonderkid in January, rumours of a summer move have been heating up.

United captain Fernandes spoke to Sport.tv and offered his opinion on the links between his Portuguese teammate and Old Trafford.

He said: “João is an excellent player, he has excellent qualities. He’s been showing them and that’s why he’s been called up to the national team and why he’s attracted the attention of the big European sharks.

“I don’t know if that’s true or not about United, but what I do know is that I think João is mentally and technically ready for this leap. Because he’s a very intelligent kid, he knows what he wants, he’s very hard-working,”

Since December 2022, Neves has established himself as a regular starter for Benfica and has been enjoying his first full season for the club in the 2023/24 season.

Since then, Neves has played 45 games in all competitions for the Portuguese champions, scoring two goals and assisting another two in this time.

His regular playing time earned him a call-up for Portugal‘s Euro qualifiers in October, leading to his international debut against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

During this time the youngster’s market value has skyrocketed, and while his current value is estimated to be around €50m, Benfica will be hoping to get more than double this amount after setting his release clause at €120m.

Alongside Neves, Manchester United have been linked with another young star at the Portuguese champions, with centre-back Antonio Silva frequently rumoured to be making a move to Old Trafford this summer.