Why Manchester United's daring £176m double deal would only be half of a good plan

This is going to be a summer of change at Old Trafford, and the results of an attempted clear-out of the squad will determine how far the club can go over the next few years – most specifically, they will need to make a lot of good decisions with regards to the players that are coming in.

With so much turnover expected and no clear idea of who the manager of the club will be, it’s more or less impossible to get a grasp on Manchester United’s transfer strategy for the next couple of months, which explains why they’ve been linked with players of almost every type in almost every position. Throw in the fact that the media probably collectively invent more fictitious transfer rumours for United that any other club, and keeping track of what’s going on becomes impossible.

But while there could be unexpected holes to fill – will Marcus Rashford or Bruno Fernandes really leave? – there are some key areas which need to be filled, and getting those right will make a massive difference. Two signings that will have to be made are a centre-half and a central midfielder, and to that end it’s not necessarily surprising to see United strongly linked with a double deal for a pair of young players from Benfica.

There are widespread reports that United want to sign both centre-back António Silva and midfielder João Neves – 20 and 19 years old respectively, with both showing signs that they are rapidly developing into top class players. Both would be expensive, as they reportedly have identical release clauses set at €100m (£86m), and Benfica want those paid in full if either player is to leave. The issue is that while one signing looks exceptionally smart, the other may not be all that clever.

United most certainly need to revamp their midfield. Casemiro, who heads the list of likely departures, appears to be declining at speed, Sofyan Amrabat has been disappointing, and only Scott McTominay and Kobbie Mainoo offered any meaningful dynamism in what was, for the past year, generally a rather limp double pivot. Those two can’t do it all on their own, and the Manchester Evening News are among the media outlets suggesting that Neves is a target.

United have been linked to a few different holding midfielders, but the one player that seems to fit the bill best is Neves, a wildly talented teenager who has earned a regular place his side’s starting line-up and picked up his first five Portugal caps in the past year. Despite his youth, he’s already establishing himself as one of the best all-round midfielders in Europe and seems like the perfect foil for Mainoo going forward.

He's exceptionally composed and confident on the ball, with a fine passing range and the technique and agility to work his way out of tight spaces. Off the ball, he’s tigerish and has the stamina and judgement in the tackle to produce a massive volume of turnovers.

Like Mainoo, he’s the kind of midfielder who doesn’t get into either box very often but can be found almost everywhere else across the pitch depending on the situation. He’s flexible, reads the game well, and with give United two midfielders who can put out fires and keep possession ticking over well and whose style and skill sets overlap rather neatly. And like Mainoo, he could easily be a starting level player for a decade or more.

£86 might well be a massive fee but it’s nounreasonable in the context of similar recent transfers for players like Declan Rice, Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernández. Neves is a little younger but looks to be in the same tier, with room to grow even further. It’s an investment that could pay dividends for years to come and there are few other players on the market, less still ones that United have specifically been linked with, that have as high a ceiling.

In many ways, the same is true of Silva. A gifted ball-playing defender with a fine passing range and impressive confidence on the ball, he also has impressive positional sense and rarely gets beaten on the dribble, while also knowing how to narrow down shooting angles effectively. Like Neves, he has earned his first Portugal caps and his trajectory seems to be very much upwards, and Caught Offside are among the outlets to suggest that United are interested.

But there is a big difference in terms of United’s needs at centre-back. Reports suggest the club are hoping to part ways with both Harry Maguire and Raphaël Varane, while Jonny Evans’ contract may not be renewed and Victor Lindelöf could easily be deemed surplus to requirements too. In midfield, United could get by with one new body to rotate with Mainoo and McTominay. At the back, they will likely need multiple new players.

Spending £86m on one defender, no matter how gifted, looks like a mistake in that context. They would almost certainly be able to buy two talented players for that amount – the likes of Jean-Clair Todibo, Willian Pacho and Edmond Tapsoba could easily go for around half the fee – and that would surely be the smarter use of the cash.

And Silva, for all his unquestionable talent, has errors in him. That’s understandable for a player so green, but he has made high-profile mistakes – a straight red card against Inter Milan in the Champions League was perhaps the most notable – and his form has declined in the second half of the season. Where Neves has been consistent, Silva has distinct ups and downs.

If Silva was signed for such a towering fee, it would mean pinning a lot on his young shoulders, and his performances at the highest level don’t suggest he’s fully ready to bear that responsibility. If he was able to develop and rotate alongside high-class defenders, he could thrive, but there is a risk that at United he would be called upon game after game given the potential lack of depth at centre-back, an issue exacerbated by Lisandro Martínez’s patchy fitness record.

Silva may well be a player who could look like a great investment in five years’ time, but United need a centre-back who can perform week in, week out now, and they can do better than spending the lion’s share of the defensive budget on one player who isn’t at his peak as yet.

They may well go in different directions, of course. Depending on their success in selling off the current crop of players, the needs may change and there may be a great many new arrivals. But it’s unlikely that signing Silva would be the smartest move – although a deal for Neves makes a lot more sense on paper.