FC Barcelona Accept Joao Neves to Manchester United - Man United Transfer News

Barcelona accepts defeat in chase for Joao Neves, as Manchester United reportedly secures the 19-year-old's arrival. Fans are excited.

According to reports from El Nacional, Barcelona has accepted that their pursuit of Portuguese starlet Joao Neves is futile, as the player is already bound for Manchester United. The Catalan outlet suggests that Barcelona president, Joan Laporta, would love to bring the 19-year-old star to Catalunya, but his hands are tied due to Neves' super-agent, Jorge Mendes, who has already decided that the north-west of England will be the youngster's next destination. Despite recent good dealings with the Blaugrana, there is to be no future partnership over Neves, as the player hasn't even been given a chance to wear the Barca shirt. El Nacional takes an apparent swipe at Mendes for choosing to take the Portuguese midfielder to the Premier League, where there is much more money to find. The Catalan site also asserts that at only 19 years old, the midfielder has made the most of his minutes and attracted the attention of Europe's most powerful teams with his performances. Transfermarkt and Sofascore back up this assertion, with the starlet already playing 18 times for Benfica and making four appearances in the Champions League, and receiving an average rating of 7.25 in the Champions League. The Peoples Person has extensively reported about United's interest in the player, with scouts sent to run the rule over the midfielder's performance in a crunch tie versus Sporting. Neves has also been in a tug of war between Portuguese stars Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, with Benfica having no desire to part with their star just yet. El Nacional, however, claims that United have moved ahead of the competition and they will happily pay the €70 million required to sanction the Portuguese's arrival in Manchester. This would most likely be welcomed by Manchester United fans around the world, especially in the context of a potential Casemiro departure on the horizon.