Ineos walked away from one Manchester United deal in the summer that they will regret for years to come.
Since the takeover, Ineos have improved Manchester United’s recruitment with seven impressive signings arriving at Old Trafford so far.
In the summer, £200m was spent on five major signings for Erik ten Hag. While the Dutchman only lasted a few months into the season, all five players have become important players under Ruben Amorim.
Amorim then added Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven in January and both have made exciting starts in Manchester.
A summer overhaul is expected under Ineos again, and central midfield is one area that will need addressing. That might not be the case if Ineos had pursued a deal for Joao Neves.
Man United target Joao Neves puts on Champions League masterclass
Last summer, United were on the search for a new defensive midfielder and ended up landing a £42m deal for Manuel Ugarte from Paris Saint-Germain.
Ironically, that deal ended up funding PSG to go and sign Joao Neves, a player that United have admired for years.
Since arriving in France, Neves has proven to be an excellent signing for the Parisian side, and he proved his worth again on Tuesday night as he starred in a 1-0 win over Arsenal in the Champions League.
Data provided by SofaScore highlights just how impressive the 20-year-old Portugal international was at The Emirates.
Neves started on the right of PSG’s midfield trio alongside Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz. Up against Arsenal’s trio of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino, Neves dominated.
He took 54 touches across his 89-minute display and was incredibly efficient in possession, completing 88 percent of his passes.
Before the Arsenal match, Neves spoke to The Athletic and discussed PSG’s impressive pressing model – “The less time they have to breathe, the better for us!” he said.
As they have done all season in the Champions League, PSG suffocated their opposition’s midfield, and Neves was key to that strategy with six tackles, one interception and seven duels won.
Neves has proven himself to be a well-rounded midfielder, capable of both breaking the lines with his passing range and also contributing defensively. Ineos missed out on a gem.
Why Man United failed to sign Joao Neves last summer
After holding talks with Benfica, Neves’ £100m release clause was deemed too expensive by Ineos and so they walked away from a deal.
However, Neves joined PSG for £60m later that summer, so clearly there was some flexibility in the price tag that Ineos were unable to take advantage of.
Amorim and Ineos will not be overly frustrated at choosing to sign Ugarte instead – he has quickly become a key player at Old Trafford and has solidified the midfield.
READ MORE: Angel di Maria played a role in tempting Joao Neves to Paris Saint-Germain
But there is an argument to be made that Neves would be United’s best player and his relationship with Bruno Fernandes would only strengthen the midfield connection.
United scouts see Neves as the one that got away, and it is clear to see why. The 20-year-old looks to be well on track for superstardom if he continues to make progress at PSG.
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