Bruno Fernandes went against team-mate to try secure deal for Man Utd

Bruno Fernandes' Portugal colleague Vitinha has revealed the Manchester United captain attempted to convince Joao Neves to join him at Old Trafford. The 21-year-old ultimately ended up signing for Paris Saint‐Germain to link up with Vitinha instead.

United explored the possibility of signing Neves during the summer of 2024 whilst searching for a long‐term successor to Casemiro. Nearly two years later, the club have still not identified a suitable replacement, with the Brazilian poised to depart when his contract concludes at the end of June.

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Despite being merely 19 at the time, Neves had already established a formidable reputation at Benfica, displaying all the characteristics of a player with enormous promise - something he has subsequently proven at the Parc des Princes. United were eager to recruit younger talent and reportedly had two bids turned down by Benfica.

Neves eventually completed a £51million transfer - potentially rising to £59m with additional clauses - to the Ligue 1 champions. Consequently, United pivoted and brought in to Manuel Ugarte from Sporting Clube de Portugal. According to Vitinha, their inability to capture Neves was not for want of trying.

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During a sit‐down interview with Portuguese broadcaster Canal 11, the PSG midfielder disclosed that both he and Fernandes persistently attempted to persuade Neves to join their respective clubs. "I did everything to convince him to come here (to PSG)," Vitinha said. "Yeah, Bruno also always did that."

Ultimately, it was the 26-year-old who prevailed in the pursuit ahead of the United skipper. Neves has flourished further in France, fulfilling a pivotal function in Luis Enrique's treble-winning squad throughout his debut campaign, which delivered PSG's maiden Champions League triumph.

He remains the subject of considerable attention heading into the summer, with suggestions indicating it might require an exceptional bid of €150m–€160m (up to £140m) to secure his departure from PSG.

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Beyond United, both Chelsea and Liverpool have been mentioned as potential suitors. United are preparing to strengthen their midfield options when the transfer window reopens in the summer.

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