Despite a rather embarrassing pre-season defeat to Rosenborg on Monday, this has been an exciting few days to be a Manchester United supporter.
The Red Devils confirmed the arrival of exciting young forward Joshua Zirkzee last Sunday and they are now already closing in on a second signing of the summer.
Who, we hear you ask? Well, it's another of Europe's hottest talents; Leny Yoro.
It was reported on Monday morning that the French central defender was on his way to the UK to undergo a medical and finalise terms ahead of a £52m move from Lille.
The 18-year-old centre-back had been waiting for Real Madrid to come calling but has now seemingly accepted a move to Old Trafford.
So, who's next? Well, one target will come as no surprise to many fans.
Man United's next big signing after Yoro
The defence was clearly an area of priority for United this summer after what happened last term.
Erik ten Hag's side lacked tactical organisation at the back and it wasn't helped by a plethora of injuries either.
Raphael Varane – who has now left the club – and Lisandro Martinez both missed large parts of the campaign, as too did Harry Maguire. As a result, they were left to field Jonny Evans and ageing midfielder, Casemiro, at the back.
Evans actually performed admirably and has been handed a new contract as a result. Casemiro, however, did not, with Jamie Carragher infamously telling him to go and see out his career in Saudi Arabia.
The addition of Yoro is much needed, then. But let us go back to Casemiro. A replacement for the Brazilian will be required in the middle of the park.
That could be Portuguese sensation Joao Neves. The midfielder has been linked with a move to Manchester for much of the summer but his £100m + release clause has proven to be problematic.
Well, fresher reports have suggested that price may have come down a bit now.
According to Record in Portugal, via TEAMTalk, United are ready to make a third bid for his services after their latest offer of €70m (£58.8m) was rejected.
However, it's now thought his club side Benfica would be willing to agree on a compromised fee of €100m (£84.4m). Hefty money but this isn't a player like Antony, it would surely be worth it.
Why Joao Neves is so exciting
The addition of Yoro to United's backline will be a seismic addition. After all, this is a player who has been tipped for greatness. Set to sign for a fee of £52m, analyst Ben Mattinson has admitted that it won't be long before we see him being touted at a price of £100m. That certainly sounds like tasty profit.
However, let us not think about the prospect of the teenager leaving just yet. Compared to his fellow defenders in Europe's top five leagues, the teenager ranks in the top 7% for pass completion and sits among the best 12% for carries. He's also only dispossessed 0.3 times every 90 minutes. With those stats in mind, he's cut from a similar cloth as your Virgil van Dijks and William Salibas.
So, Yoro would certainly sharpen up the defence and add more composure to central areas. He'll certainly win United points with that. However, Neves is a talent with the capability to not just win you matches, but win you Championships.
The aforementioned Mattinson once described the Benfica sensation as "a future UCL contender #8". What does he mean by that? Well, Neves is set to boast the ability to play as one of the primary central midfielders for a side like Madrid or Manchester City.
Why? Because he's an elite talent in the making. Compared to positionally similar players in the continent's elite leagues, the 19-year-old has already showcased himself to be among the very best.
He sits inside the top 2% of midfielders for successful take-ons. So, he can carry the ball superbly well. Neves also ranks among the best 2% for tackles and the top 8% for interceptions. He clearly knows how to break up the play too.
Is he good at passing? You bet. He makes 6.88 passes into the final third every 90 minutes, ranking in the top 12%. The Portugal wonderkid also completes 5.27 long balls per 90. He's in the top 15% for that metric.
Goals
3
8
Assists
1
9
Touches *
76.5
121.1
Pass completion
90%
92%
Key passes *
0.8
1.5
Dribbles *
1.2
1.2
Ball recoveries *
6.4
6.9
Tackles *
2.0
2.1
Interceptions *
1.0
0.8
Clearances *
1.0
1.2
Duels won *
6.0
5.9
What's the one area he could improve? Neves scored just three times last season. All in good time, though. 24-year-old Declan Rice didn't truly start adding goals to his game until he moved to Arsenal, finding the net from a similar position as Neves on seven occasions.
In a similar mould to a Rice or Rodri, this would be some way to follow up the signing of Yoro. Like the Frenchman, he very much has the world at his feet from a tender age.
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ByMatt DawsonJul 16, 2024