Manchester United have been long-term admirers of Joao Neves and Bruno Fernandes has admitted he would love to play with his compatriot.
During the March break, Bruno Fernandes is one of 12 Manchester United players on international duty.
The United captain has already been pictured arriving at the Portugal camp and embracing compatriot and fellow midfielder Joao Neves, who he shares a close friendship with.
United came close to signing Joao Neves and now view him as the ‘one who got away’ after he ended up joining Paris Saint-Germain.
Neves is now thriving under manager Luis Enrique in France, and it is no secret that the Spanish manager has been linked with the job at Old Trafford this summer.
Luis Enrique on the bench as PSG face Chelsea in the Champions League.
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Bruno Fernandes would ‘love’ to play with Joao Neves
Back in 2023, Fernandes admitted that he would “love” to play alongside Neves amid his transfer links to United.
“He’s an excellent player and an excellent kid, very professional. He will have a bright future wherever he goes. I would love to have him by my side. Because he has quality and will have a bright future. It depends on him. What I want most is the best for him,” Fernandes said, as quoted by Goal.
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Neves has hailed Fernandes’ impact on his own career, adding that “he made me realize that I didn’t need to be nervous”.
The pair have struck up a brilliant midfield connection for Portugal and will be excited about the prospect of playing together at the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
United ‘baulked’ at Neves’ price tag back in 2024, but his £60m move to PSG now looks like a complete bargain.
It would be extremely difficult to now lure the 21-year-old away from PSG, but appointing Enrique in the summer would give Ineos a brilliant advantage.
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Joao Neves loves playing under Luis Enrique
Under Enrique, Neves made his move to PSG and has grown into one of Europe’s best midfielders at the age of 21.
As quoted by Goal, Neves described Enrique as an “incredible” coach.
“Our coach is incredible,” Neves said in June 2025. “He gives us everything we need to do our best. He gives us confidence. He wants us to play with the ball and make the other team run. And when we don’t have the ball, we have to get it back very quickly. No matter the team, it’s always the same. We work like that.”
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Enrique’s tactics are perfect for United, and given that Ineos are prioritising a world-class midfield signing this summer, it would make sense for Enrique to try and bring Neves with him to Old Trafford.
Not only would Neves be lured by the idea of playing with Fernandes, but he could also follow a manager who brought the very best out of him.
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