Arsenal Appreciate Benfica Midfielder Joao Neves

Arsenal are interested in signing Benfica midfielder Joao Neves, as they look to bolster their midfield options. Revealing in his GIVEMESPORT column, journalist Ben Jacobs has said that the north London club are looking at an array of midfielders, including Neves and Bruno Guimaraes, but are potentially leaning on the former as they believe the latter may prove to be too expensive.

Neves enjoyed a spectacular first full season in the Benfica first team, making 55 appearances across all competitions at the age of 19. His impressive campaign has prompted interest from a number of clubs, including the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.

According to Jacobs, Arsenal ‘appreciate’ the player and represent a potential destination for the starlet, who reportedly has a release clause worth £105m. Meanwhile, the Gunners are also said to be interested in Guimaraes, they have no plans to trigger his own £100m release clause, and the Brazilian could instead end up at Manchester City.

Jacobs: Arsenal Like Joao Neves

The Gunners want to add a six or an eight this summer

Rising through the ranks at Benfica, Neves burst onto the scene in the second half of the 2022/23 season, filling the vacant role in the Lisbon side’s midfield left by Enzo Fernandez, who had departed for Chelsea. Making 20 appearances that campaign, Neves truly established himself last season, becoming a staple in Roger Schmidt’s team that came close to winning the Primeira Liga.

After being named in the Portuguese national team’s squad for this summer’s European Championship, Neves is now in the spotlight and expected to leave Benfica for a similar fee that Fernandez left for in January 2022. At just 19, he’d represent a long-term investment for a side like Arsenal, although many feel his impressive set of attributes already lends itself well to the physical aspects of the Premier League, with football analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as being “Santi Cazorla-esque”.

Writing in his GIVEMESPORT column, Jacobs revealed that Arsenal are interested in the player, as they look to acquire either a number six or number eight in this window, to partner with Declan Rice in the middle of the park. While Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi has been touted as a potential signing, the 25-year-old may be difficult to pry away from his boyhood club, while Guimaraes’ hefty price tag has put off the Arsenal hierarchy.

This may leave Neves as a plausible option, who could go for less than his release clause as Benfica look to sell another one of their prized assets, but even if Arsenal do make a move for the player, they will face stiff competition from some of their Premier League counterparts for his signature.