Liverpool have reportedly made Benfica midfielder Joao Neves a priority transfer target for the summer window.
The teenager has broken into the Benfica team across the last two seasons to forge a reputation as one of the most promising talents outside of Europe’s top five leagues.
Neves made 55 appearances in all competitions for the Portuguese side in 2023-24 and was named as the Primeira Liga Midfielder of the Month on five occasions.
The 19-year-old has already earned seven senior caps for Portugal and has been included in the squad for this summer’s European Championship. According to Portuguese outlet Correio da Manha, Liverpool are set to intensify efforts to beat Europe’s top clubs to his signature this summer.
However, Benfica are reluctant to sanction the sale of Neves and will demand his €120m (£101.3m) is met in full for the midfielder to leave The Estádio da Luz. That figure would represent a club-record deal for the Reds, eclipsing the £75m spent to sign Virgil van Dijk from Southampton in 2018.
Liverpool are understood to be monitoring several transfer targets in Portugal and hold an interest in Benfica defender Antonio Silva and Sporting Lisbon centre-back Goncalo Inacio, each of whom have joined Neves in the Portugal squad for Euro 2024. Liverpool have brought in Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez from Primeira Liga clubs in recent transfer windows.
