Liverpool and Chelsea chase stunning £103m midfielder as Man Utd close in on key defender target

We begin Friday's Premier League transfer rumour round-up with claims that Liverpool have joined the race to sign Benfica star Joao Neves this summer. According to report from O Jogo in Portugal, the Reds are one of several 'sharks' monitoring the midfielder, with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain also touted.

At the time of writing, Neves has a release clause of around £102.7 million folded into his contract, although the level of interest in the 19-year-old could see Benfica attempt to raise that figure to £128.5 million. For their part, Liverpool are said to have ‘identified the need’ for midfield reinforcements, and are now very ‘attentive’ to Neves.

The 3AM Verdict: Neves is a wonderfully gifted and precocious talent, and whoever wins the race for him will be securing themselves a fine player for many years to come. That being said, his current price tag is enough to put off even the most eager of suitors, and it remains to be seen whether Liverpool have the inclination to snap him up for such a huge fee.

United want Bremer

Elsewhere, according to an update from Tuttosport, Manchester United have identified Gleison Bremer as their preferred defensive target this summer. The Brazilian is currently on the books at Juventus, where he signed a contract extension until 2028 last December.

The Red Devils have reportedly been impressed with his form this season, however, and are keen to test Juve's resolve. It is understood that United would be 'willing to pay' around £42.8 million for the 27-year-old as they look to make him one of the 'big shots' of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's first transfer window at the club.

The 3AM Verdict: United are almost certainly going to require a new centre-back or two this summer, and Bremer has been in eye-catching form over in Italy in recent times. Whether Juve would be willing to sell, however, with the Brazilian having just signed a fresh contract in Turin, is another matter entirely, but don't be surprised to see United test their mettle with a bid or two in the coming months.

Spurs eye Zirkzee

And finally, Tottenham are understood to be interested in signing Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman is said to be attracting plenty of attention from around Europe, but according to Corriere dello Sport, Spurs are very much among those monitoring his situation in Italy.

Zirkzee's former club, Bayern Munich, have a buy-back option of around £34.3 million available to them, but if the German giants opt not to trigger it, then Bologna could demand anywhere up to £60 million for the 22-year-old. Despite that hefty fee, Spurs are said to hold a 'strong interest' in the player heading into the summer transfer window.

The 3AM Verdict: Zirkzee is likely to be one of the most talked about players in Europe this summer, and with good reason. Young, adaptable, and lethal in front of goal, he has plenty of things working in his favour. As for Spurs, they have never truly replaced Harry Kane, and you would have to imagine that signing a new striker will be high on their list of priorities over the coming months.