Vitinha and Joao Neves untouchable: agent Jorge Mendes shuts door on Real Madrid

Jorge Mendes has ended the speculation: Vitinha and Joao Neves are not for sale, and neither wishes to leave Paris Saint-Germain. The Portuguese agent spoke to Fabrizio Romano to put an end to rumours of Real Madrid interest.

“Vitinha and João have never been an option for anyone. They are untouchable for PSG, and they are very, very happy at PSG. They will continue to collect trophies,” Mendes said. A statement without ambiguity, coming as Florentino Perez was presented as an admirer of the two midfielders, with some even linking one of them to the €150 million offer mentioned by the Madrid president.

PSG, buoyed by its new Ligue des Champions title, had no intention of letting go of two central elements in Luis Enrique’s system anyway. Vitinha is tied to the club until 2029, Joao Neves until 2030. A stance comparable to that adopted by Bayern Munich in the Michael Olise matter: no negotiation possible on untouchable key players.

If the Paris transfer market promises to be active, it will be more on the side of replacements that departures could materialise. Gonçalo Ramos, Kang-In Lee, Lucas Chevalier or Bradley Barcola — the latter reported in the sights of Arsenal, Liverpool and FC Barcelona — could benefit from an exit pass in the event of a satisfactory offer. The heart of the Paris midfield, however, will not budge.