Benfica president Rui Costa has acknowledged that a bid for Neves has been submitted, as reported by the Portuguese newspaper A Bola, external, but he did not disclose the identity of the interested party.
“There is an offer currently under consideration and discussion,” said the legendary Portuguese player.
“However, at this time, Joao Neves is still a Benfica player. I don’t intend to conceal any details as I understand that Benfica fans are eager to know if Joao will be staying or departing.”
In reaction to speculation suggesting Neves would only be sold for his £101m release clause, the president remarked: “I never claimed that Joao Neves would only depart for his release clause, thus those assertions are incorrect.”
Ingles is concerned that a transfer might be premature for the player, but he believes it could be easier for him to adapt to France’s Ligue 1 than to the Premier League.
“Despite his experience, I feel he’s committing the same error as Joao Felix, Goncalo Ramos, or Renato Sanches: he’s leaving too early,” he states.
“I’m unsure if he’s truly prepared. Just like with Darwin Nunez, performing well in the Portuguese league is different from doing so in one of the top five leagues.
“Here, if you’re talented, you stand out. In England, everyone around you is equally or more talented, which makes it tougher. He’s quite slight, and I’m uncertain if he could handle the physical demands of the Premier League.”
So, is he destined for greatness?
“I would wager that he will evolve into a commendable player, have a solid career, but may never achieve world-class status,” Ingles concludes. “But who knows? He’s only 19.”
