Sir Ratcliffe's £100m Man Utd plan remains on track after Mendes' transfer hint

Jorge Mendes has dropped a hint that Joao Neves, who is a transfer target for Manchester United, could leave Benfica this summer.

Neves, 19, is one of European football's most exciting young midfielders. The Portuguese talent broke into Benfica's starting XI last season and helped them win the league title. He's been named as the Primeira Liga's Midfielder of the Month three times this term.

Neves has already played for Portugal's senior team to leave United interested. It's believed Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who will take charge of football operations at Old Trafford once his takeover is approved by the Premier League, is a fan of the emerging star.

Benfica recently released a statement to announce Neves was NOT for sale this month, but there's a chance he could leave the club at the end of the season. Ratcliffe is likely to build a brand-new squad at Old Trafford this summer, having appointed a new CEO.

Neves, who has a €120million (£103m) buyout clause in his contract, is represented by Mendes and the agent has confirmed Benfica will need to make a decision on whether to sell the midfielder and fellow youngster Antonio Silva, 20, at the end of the season.

"Their (Benfica's) president Rui Costa will have to decide when he’s ready to consider a deal," Mendes, who previously represented Cristiano Ronaldo, told Portuguese outlet Record. "It’s always the club’s decision. I can take the proposals and the conditions."

Mendes was also asked whether Benfica have received offers for either Neves or Silva since the transfer window re-opened. He replied: "Yes, there have been situations in which any of them would have had offers if the door had been open.

"The players will stay at Benfica until the end of the season, that’s for sure, and then