Guardiola and Florentino Face to Face for the Gem Recommended by Cristiano Ronaldo

One of the objectives of the board of directors led by Florentino Pérez for the upcoming season is to continue with the implementation of generational change in the white locker room. The sports management has done a great job so far... but there are still several positions urgently requiring signings with speed.

There are several of those positions that need reinforcement as soon as possible. While it is true that the situation in defense is critical, especially the center-back and right-back positions, the midfield is also not overlooked. The retirement of Toni Kroos has caused many problems in game construction that only Dani Ceballos had effectively solved.

Now that the Sevillian '19' will be out of the Madrid sports discipline for two months, Carlo Ancelotti finds himself in the same predicament as at the beginning of the current season. The Reggiolo coach insists on the incorporation of a final midfielder, a goal for which the merengue bosses are still searching for the most suitable footballer.

The possible signing of Florian Wirtz is undoubtedly the great operation planned by the white executives for the summer of 2025. But he wouldn't be the only 'monitored' midfielder by the merengue bosses for the next summer period, since João Neves's name has gained notoriety in the Old Continent. The Portuguese midfielder, who left Benfica in mid-2024, is having an excellent season at PSG.

One More Alternative

His good records managing the engine room of the  rouge et bleu entity have caught the attention of several elite European soccer teams in recent months. Among them is Real Madrid itself... which would already have competition from Manchester City if any team tries to sign the newly arrived Portuguese midfielder in Paris.

Pep Guardiola hasn't managed the sky blue team correctly this season. The start of the 24/25 season seemed promising, but Rodrigo Hernández's injury disrupted everything. The English team, at this point in the season, is fully focused on national competitions and qualifying for the Champions League next season. 

To remedy that absence, Manchester City went to the winter market with more than 200 million euros invested. The solution hasn't arrived, and everything points to the executives led by Hugo Viana betting on the arrival of a creative defensive midfielder to redirect the situation. João Neves, whose market value is currently 60 million euros, seems the most suitable footballer.

From the offices in Poissy, however, they make it clear that João Neves is not for sale. His work capacity, defensive strength, and game vision, as well as a sharp and spontaneous attacking sense, are highly valued virtues by Luis Enrique. That's why they are not willing to let him go, especially when he has barely completed his first season as a footballer for the French capital team.