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According to The Mirror, Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira has conceded that the only way his side will get to keep rising star Joao Felix for next season is if the buying club loan him back to them.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the Portuguese giants have a wonderkid on their hands. Felix burst onto the scene last term with 20 goals and 11 assists in all competitions in what was just his first campaign in the Benfica first team.
He is now a fully fledged Portuguese international and a number of top clubs are interested in his services.
Could Harry Maguire be on his way to Old Trafford? Check out the video below to see why it would make so much sense…
The 19-year-old is of interest to Manchester United and Manchester City, but neither of them have yet triggered the teenager’s £105m release clause – Vieira has however admitted that Felix’s head is turned by the wages on offer in the Premier League.
United loaning him back would be best for all parties
Old Trafford is a hostile environment right now.
If Felix arrived and was thrown immediately in at the deep end, but failed to perform straight away, his development would be hampered and the fans would get on his back given the price tag on his head.
It could be severely detrimental to his vast potential.
The best idea for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be to secure the teenager, one of Europe’s greatest current assets, and then loan him back whilst focusing on sorting out the more fundamental issues in the team, such as the need for a right-back and a centre-back; Felix is obviously special, but he is more of an icing on the cake player and not the sponge itself.
His price tag will only rise, so securing him now is key. Sign him this summer, allow Felix to continue to develop at Benfica whilst attempting to rediscover the real Man United again, and then welcome a prodigious talent into more settled circumstances next year – that would be Solskjaer’s best option.