da esoccer bet： Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks set to become Manchester United’s minority shareholder after his 25% bid has been accepted by the Glazers.
da bwin： He has agreed to buy a quarter of the club for £1.3b and this could give Erik ten Hag a new lease of life in charge of the club.
The Old Trafford side have endured a dismal start to the 2023/24 campaign, winning just nine of their opening 18 matches and this sort of form seems unlikely lead them to much success.
They currently occupy sixth place in the Premier League table and while they may only be seven points off the summit, recent performances against the top four suggest they will not be challenging for a title this term.
The Dutchman has not been helped with an injury crisis engulfing his squad, while his summer arrivals have failed to sparkle domestically and these factors have meant United have struggled.
With clashes against Newcastle United, Chelsea, and Liverpool to come in the next few weeks, along with tough Champions League ties against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray, ten Hag will need to see some vast improvement, and fast.
The January transfer window is fast approaching and could the former Ajax boss perhaps delve into the market and bolster his faltering squad?
Man Utd transfer news
Having spent £191.7m during the summer window, it remains to be seen how much money ten Hag will have to spend, and he may need to move a few players on in order to raise funds.
According to Portuguese outlet Record, however, the Red Devils are eyeing up a move for youngster Joao Neves in the upcoming January transfer window.
The club have scouted the player numerous times recently, most notably last weekend where he scored an equaliser for Benfica against Sporting CP before his side netted the winner just a few minutes later.
There is one major problem, however; money. The midfielder has a release clause which currently stands at €120m (£105m) and with a contract at the Portuguese side until 2028, ten Hag is going to have to break the bank to secure a deal for the talented gem.
Ratcliffe's arrival could provide fresh optimism, as could a splash from ten Hag to allow Neves to arrive in Manchester, as he would be the ideal player to replace Casemiro, who has been linked with an exit recently.
Casemiro’s future is in doubt at Man Utd
The midfielder has missed the previous seven games for United having suffered an injury while on international duty with Brazil in October.
He could be in his final furlong with the club, however, as Ratcliffe apparently wants to move him on in order to create space in the squad for other players.
This could suggest they are ready to cash in on the former Real Madrid midfielder, who they only signed in 2022 for a fee in the region of £70m and although he improved their midfield last term, some may question a fee of that size for a player who they are now prepared to move on after 18 months at the club.
There is interest from Saudi Arabia for the Brazilian and considering he still has two-and-a-half-years left on his current contract, ten Hag could be able to recoup some of the cash he spent on him in 2022.
He was instrumental in United winning their first trophy in six years, scoring in the EFL Cup final against Newcastle while helping the side secure third spot in the league.
Due to injury, however, he has only played eight league matches and with the interest from the Middle East apparent, the Dutchman could move him on and use the funds to try and lure Neves to England.
Joao Neves’ career statistics
This time last year, the 19-year-old had yet to make his debut for Benfica, but with the Portuguese club selling Enzo Fernández to Chelsea in January, a slot opened up in the midfield, and he hasn’t looked back since.
He played 20 times for the club during the second half of last season, scoring once, but it has been the previous few months that has seen his performances attract attention from other clubs.
1
1
44.5
53.7
1
3
0.4
1.4
2.6
2.4
As you can see in the table above, Neves has offered a similar level of defensive protection out of possession whilst being able to offer far more to his team on the ball this season.
Hailed as “highly talented” by talent scout Jacek Kulig alongside other Benfica gems, the midfielder has played a part in every Benfica game already this term, adding a goal and an assist in the process.
Indeed, he currently ranks fourth in the squad for accurate passes per game (53.7), along with ranking third for big chances created (three), fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.4), and third for accurate long passes per game (3.8), certainly proving that he belongs at the elite and is one of Benfica’s best performers across these metrics this season.
The teenager also ranks highly across a range of defensive metrics when compared to his positional peers. According to FBref, Neves ranks in the top 5% for tackles per 90 (3.44) along with ranking in the top 1% for blocks per 90 (2.18) and in the top 11% for aerial duels won per 90 (1.98) which suggests that, alongside his excellent passing abilities and forward-thinking mindset, the youngster is also effective defensively.
These attributes could ensure Neves would become an ideal heir for Casemiro, especially as he would be able to slot straight into the heart of the midfield given his experience in the Portuguese top flight and the Champions League.
The Dutchman may need to rejuvenate what appears to be a squad that is stagnating and injecting some young talent into the engine room could be an excellent way of giving the side a jolt.
Signing Neves could be a costly venture, given his reported release clause but, over time, he has the potential to develop into a midfielder who can shine in the Premier League.
He does not turn 20 until next September, giving the Old Trafford side plenty of time to work with him and build him into a top-class central midfielder.
If Ratcliffe can receive a decent fee for Casemiro in January, then this should enable the club to make a concrete offer for Neves, who could come in as the heir to the Brazilian's position.