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Man Utd can get Casemiro revenge on Real Madrid if Jim Ratcliffe acts immediately
Man Utd might seek revenge over Real Madrid this summer.
Manchester United can get revenge on Real Madrid by beating the Spanish giants to the signing of Benfica prospect Joao Neves. The Red Devils may want to get one over Real after being forced to spend £60million on Casemiro.
United’s signing of Casemiro in 2022 has not proven to be money well spent. Despite a strong start to life at Old Trafford, the Brazilian has failed to find the form that made him one of Europe’s best defensive midfielders in La Liga.
Both United and Real are reportedly interested in Neves, The Premier League side will have an extra incentive to prevent the Champions League finalists from getting their hands on one of the world’s best midfield prospects.
Neves has shone for Benfica since making his debut in 2022. Still only 19, the Portugal international is wanted by Europe’s elite. A report by Goal in January suggested that United and Real were among his suitors.
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Benfica were able to fend off interest during the January transfer window but may struggle this summer. United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe will need to move fast in order to beat the fierce competition to the signing of Neves.
The Red Devils are likely to improve their midfield in the summer, with Casemiro struggling for form and Sofyan Amrabat unlikely to have his loan deal made permanent. Others, including Mason Mount and Christian Eriksen, have struggled with fitness issues.
Neves is widely reported to have a release clause of around £86m, a bargain considering some of the fees for which other players of a similar ability have completed transfers. However, Portuguese publication Mais Futebol claim that Benfica are desperate to keep their prized young talent.
The Portuguese side will not entertain any offers below Neves’s release clause. His stock is likely to rise when he plays for Portugal at this summer’s Euro 2024 tournament in Germany.
In April, the Mirror reported that Ratcliffe had met with Neves’s agent, Jorge Mendes, to discuss a range of topics. It is not clear whether a move for the No 87 was discussed. It was instead claimed that Ratcliffe simply hoped to make use of Mendes’s knowledge.
Ratcliffe and his company INEOS are widely expected to oversee drastic changes at Old Trafford this summer. It is hoped that the impending arrivals of incoming CEO Omar Berrada and potential sporting director Dan Ashworth will place the club back in the right direction.