Bruno Fernandes speaks out, 160 million Euro blockbuster 'slips past' Manchester United

The Manchester United captain had personally contacted and tried to persuade his compatriot talent to land at Old Trafford, but the final choice ultimately took him to PSG in a major deal.

Before arriving at Paris Saint-Germain, a young Portuguese midfielder was on Manchester United's radar. Captain Bruno Fernandes was revealed to have personally reached out, attempting to convince his younger compatriot to choose Old Trafford as the next stop in his career.

This player developed in Benfica's prestigious academy and was promoted to the first team in early 2023. Following impressive performances, he quickly attracted the attention of several European giants before joining PSG in August 2024. That player is Joao Neves.

Since that time, Joao Neves has proven PSG right for spending 60 million Pounds to acquire him. Under manager Luis Enrique's guidance, this midfielder has played flexibly in central midfield as well as the right-back position. Last season, he made 59 appearances, playing a significant role in helping the French capital club win its first UEFA Champions League title in history.

In an interview with Canal 11 (Portugal), his PSG teammate Vitinha admitted that both he and Bruno gave "100%" effort to persuade Neves to join their club. However, the final choice leaned towards the French club, despite Manchester United having just defeated Manchester City in the FA Cup final at that time.

At that time, the "Red Devils" had only finished eighth in the Premier League under manager Erik ten Hag, which is believed to have affected their appeal in the transfer market. Subsequently, the Old Trafford side continued to experience upheaval by parting ways with Ruben Amorim and appointing Michael Carrick as interim manager.

Currently, the possibility of Neves landing in England is not yet closed. Liverpool are reportedly preparing an offer reaching up to 150-160 million Euros, equivalent to approximately 140 million Pounds, to persuade PSG to release the player. If successful, they would shatter the British transfer record, with Chelsea and Real Madrid also closely monitoring the developments of the deal.