Man Utd: Mendes assists INEOS as Ratcliffe plots £251m double deal in ‘increasingly likely scenario’

Joao Neves and Rafael Leao have been linked with a move to Old Trafford

Super agent Jorge Mendes could be a the centre of two deals at Old Trafford this summer as Man Utd eye Benfica’s Joao Neves and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, according to reports.

There is set to be a lot of change at Old Trafford in the summer after Sir Jim Ratcliffe completed a deal to buy 27.7 per cent of the Red Devils from the Glazers earlier this year.

A summer of change at Man Utd

The British billionaire has already moved to bring in Omar Berrada from arch-rivals Man City as their new CEO, while he and INEOS are still attempting to agree deals for Newcastle’s Dan Ashworth to come in as sporting director and Southampton’s Jason Wilcox to arrive as technical director.

The latest reports indicate they could also appoint a new manager in the summer too with claims that some players are now expecting Erik ten Hag to be sacked.

And there are likely to a lot of changes in playing personnel too with as many as ten players set to leave Man Utd in the summer with the Red Devils looking for a ‘summer clear-out’.

As well as outs there are likely to be some ins with Ratcliffe making it clear last month that the club are looking to concentrate on younger players rather than the finished product.

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When asked whether he would rather sign Tadej Pogačar for his INEOS cycling team or Real Madrid-bound Mbappe for Man Utd, Ratcliffe told the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club podcast: “What I would rather do, I would rather find the next Mbappe, rather than spend a fortune to just try and buy success.

“It’s not that clever, is it? Buying Mbappe. In a way. Anyone could figure that one out. But what is much more challenging is to find the next Mbappe or the next [Jude] Bellingham or the next Roy Keane.”

One Man Utd target with bags of potential is Benfica midfielder Neves with Portuguese publication Record insisting the Red Devils are looking at possible move for the 19-year-old with Arsenal, Liverpool and Man City all interested.

Neves has a release clause of €120m (£102m) with Man Utd the most heavily linked of the lot and Record adds that his exit from Benfica is now an ‘increasingly likely scenario’.

Jorge Mendes is ‘preparing a new operation’

And Leao, who is also represented by Mendes, is a target for Man Utd too with Spanish publication Nacional claiming that his agent is ‘attempting’ to move him to Old Trafford in a move worth €175m (£149m).

Mendes is ‘preparing a new operation’ with the Portuguese super agent ‘willing to help’ Man Utd improve their attack in the summer by attempting to manufacture a move for Leao.

Man Utd are ‘willing to pay’ the €175m required to sign Leao from AC Milan and it ‘promises to be one of the soap operas of the next summer transfer market’.

TO THE COMMENTS! How likely on a scale of ‘never’ to ‘no f****** chance’ is it that United would pay £149m for Rafael Leao? Join the debate here.

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