João Neves will reportedly leave SL Benfica to join Paris Saint-Germain and bolster their midfield for the upcoming 2024-25 season. Moreover, one expert believes that this addition puts the Parisian midfield as one of the best in Europe.
Neves is reportedly set to join PSG in a deal worth around €60 million, with an additional €10 million in potential add-ons. As part of the agreement, PSG midfielder Renato Sanches will head to Benfica on loan.
The reigning Ligue 1 champions have successfully fended off interest from several European clubs, including Arsenal and Manchester United, to secure Neves’ services. The Portugal international will join a group that includes Vitinha, Warren Zaïre-Emery, and Fabián Ruiz.
On the latest PSG Talking episode, Football Transfers’ Robin Bairner discussed the capital club’s midfield and noted that only three clubs have a better group than the Ligue 1 side.
“PSG are right up there with their midfield quality,” Bairner said. “I’ve noted down here that the handful of teams I think that have probably got a better midfield than them. I think Manchester City are the benchmark team in just about every area in European football at the moment.
“So I’d say Manchester City are better off, Real Madrid are better off, probably Arsenal are better off. But beyond that, PSG’s midfield is up there with anyone at the moment. I have actually noted down that I believe they’re probably better than Barcelona purely because Barcelona’s players are so injury prone.”
Last season, the midfielder had an impressive run with Benfica, playing in 33 league matches and staying on the field for every minute of their journey to the Europa League quarter-finals, where they ultimately fell to Marseille.