João Neves came through Benfica’s academy and became a first-team regular as a teenager, helping the club win the Portuguese title in 2022/23. Paris Saint-Germain signed him in 2024 in a deal worth around €60 million.
He settled quickly in Paris. Small but tireless, Neves covers huge distances, presses relentlessly and wins the ball back high up the pitch, and he played an important role as PSG won the Champions League in his first season.
He has also established himself in the Portugal squad and won the UEFA Nations League in 2025. Neves is widely seen as one of the best young midfielders in the world.
Playing style
Neves is a small but tireless midfielder. He covers huge distances, presses relentlessly and wins the ball back through well-timed tackles. With the ball he is calm, technical and a good passer, and he is quick to spot forward runs. He combines the work rate of a defensive midfielder with the technique of a playmaker. At PSG his energy was crucial to Luis Enrique’s high-pressing style, and he has also played at right-back when needed. He is widely seen as one of the most complete young midfielders in Europe.
International career
Neves made his Portugal debut in 2023 and was part of the squad at Euro 2024. He won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal in 2025 and has become a regular in midfield.
Career in numbers
Neves’s senior club career, which began in 2022/23, has so far brought 177 appearances and 18 goals for 2 clubs. The 2024/25 season, with 7 goals from 59 matches for Paris Saint-Germain, remains his highest tally. So far in 2026/27 he has made 5 appearances for Paris Saint-Germain. The full season-by-season record is in the Stats section of this profile.