PSG has completed 99.99% of the procedures to sign midfielder Joao Neves from Benfica. Joao Neves will sign a 5-year contract with PSG. (Source: YouTube)
PSG faced many difficulties in signing Joao Neves because the Portuguese club insisted that PSG pay the €120 million release clause for the 19-year-old midfielder.
However, after a long period of negotiations, PSG and Benfica reached a mutual agreement that satisfied both parties.
Specifically, Benfica agreed to sell Joao Neves to PSG for a fixed fee of €60 million plus €10 million in add-ons. In addition, the Parisian club had to send midfielder Renato Sanches to Benfica on loan.
Yesterday (August 1), Renato Sanches underwent a medical check-up with Benfica. As for Joao Neves, he passed the main part of the medical examination with PSG. Meanwhile, PSG and Benfica signed all the necessary paperwork for the transfer.
Based on these developments, Joao Neves is considered a PSG player. The Portuguese international is expected to officially sign a 5-year contract today (August 2), local time. At PSG, Joao Neves will receive a salary of €5 million per season (ten times his salary at Benfica).
Joining PSG, Joao Neves will become the seventh most expensive player in the history of the Parisian club, along with Manuel Ugarte (€60 million). Above Ugarte and Neves on this list are Neymar (€222 million), Mbappe (€180 million), Kolo Muani (€95 million), Hakimi (€68 million), Edinson Cavani (€64.5 million), and Di Maria (€63 million). Additionally, the 19-year-old midfielder will become the seventh most expensive Portuguese player in history.
In terms of midfielders, along with Manuel Ugarte, Joao Neves will become the most expensive midfielder that PSG has signed. Furthermore, the 19-year-old star will become the second most expensive Portuguese midfielder in history after Bruno Fernandes and Luis Figo (both €63 million).