Arsenal have reportedly been dealt a transfer blow in their bid to sign a £102m-rated target, who could now be offered a new deal to stay this summer.
The window is yet to officially open, yet we have already seen the transfer mill crank up into overdrive with the European club season now all over after Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final.
Arsenal are expected to be one of the busiest teams in the market this summer, with Benjamin Sesko already emerging as a top target for the north London giants.
Yet Arsenal could now struggle to sign one rumoured target.
Benfica working on new deal for Arsenal target Joao Neves
According to Correio da Manha, Benfica are working on tying Joao Neves down to a new deal in order to ensure that the Portuguese international remains in Lisbon for this summer.
Neves has emerged as a key target for Arsenal in recent weeks, with the 19-year-old midfielder this season one of the breakout stars in Europe having established himself as a starter for Benfica.
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With a release clause worth €120m (£102m), Benfica’s stance has always been that Neves will only leave if a club is willing to trigger this exit option, something Manchester United recently discovered the hard way.
And for Arsenal, they might not even get the chance to make their own move for Neves if Benfica manages to succesfully tie the teenager down to a new contract.
Dream to sign Neves could be over before it’s even begun
At 19-years-old, there’s a lot to Neves’ game already that would get Arsenal fans excited, with Mikel Arteta potentially the perfect coach to take the teenager to that next level.
Yet after this latest update, the dream to sign Neves could be over before any official move has even been made, with Benfica seemingly intent on keeping the teenager around for at least one more year.
With Arsenal unlikely to match the £102m release clause, the Gunners could have to wait 12 months before making a move to sign Neves, which in hindsight might turn out to be the right move.