Joao Neves arrived for €60 million last August, and at the time, the first feeling among observers and fans was that it was a bit expensive for a 19-year-old. Especially as he had yet to prove anything, even if Portuguese football fans had noticed a hint of talent in the player.
However, PSG's Football Advisor, Luis Campos, who knows his league like the back of his hand, is not one to be trifled with. The young lad from Tavira played his first match against Le Havre, and it soon became clear that PSG had placed their faith in a player who would soon become a household name thanks to his character, temperament, carefree attitude and, above all, his football.
But to get to that point, you need to be supported on a daily basis. That was the role of Luis Enrique, whose coaching career has seen him rub shoulders with the likes of Iniesta, Xavi, Busquets, Rakitic, Rodri and many others.
Beyond that, the Spaniard has an appetite for prospects and does not hesitate to help them grow, by throwing them into the deep end quickly. We saw this last year with Warren Zaire-Emery, but it was also the case with La Roja when he was coach (Pedri, Gavi, Balde, etc).
"I'm much better than when I arrived," explained the Portuguese in an interview with Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel Rio Ferdinand Presents.
"He has a vision of football that I've never seen before. As he often says, football is simple; it's played 11 against 11, and whoever wants it more will have a better chance of winning.
"You have to run for your teammates and always give 100%. Sometimes, even if you give your all, you can't win, so imagine if you're only at 50%... If you give 100%, you'll always have a better chance of winning."
These may seem like simple instructions, but they are symptomatic of Luis Enrique's teams, of this PSG team and, inevitably, of Joao Neves.
The Portuguese midfielder is not sparing with his efforts and follows to the letter what is asked of him in terms of intensity, while adding his own distinctive touch: his technique. One crucial match for PSG in the Champions League in which he belied his youth was against Manchester City last January.
That night, the capital club were playing for their survival, but the youngster made no secret of the fact, even in the face of the likes of Bernardo Silva, Mateo Kovacic and Kevin De Bruyne. Seven tackles, all successful, seven shots, including a vital goal to go ahead (a header despite being just 1.74 metres tall), and 89% successful passes.
At the end of the match, UEFA did not have to look far for the man of the match award. Little Joao had become a man in just five months.
A talented player, Joao Neves would have liked to be a PE teacher
Two words describe the Portuguese: calm and humble. Two characteristics that are fundamental when you play football, and which you can feel when you see João Neves in action. Modest by nature, the midfielder carries the very essence of this PSG within him, where team spirit has an imperative place under Luis Enrique.
The former Benfica player places the team above all else. It's a fact that did not leave the Spanish coach and Luis Campos indifferent when it came to the decision to seek him out. Constantly repeating his efforts, the 20-year-old plays a decisive role in recovering the ball, while retaining the necessary lucidity to find the right pass or make the right run.
The youngster, who looks like a footballer from the '80s with his shirt tucked into his shorts (he is used to this, as there were two rules at the Benfica Academy in the Algarve: keep your shirt tucked into your shorts and your socks up over your knees), has become a vital part of a Parisian team that is on the verge of making history.
He himself admires Andres Iniesta - good thing Luis Enrique knows him well - and a certain Marco Verratti. An added bonus for the club when negotiating with a player, and one that goes hand in hand with Luis Campos's desire for players who come for PSG and not for Paris.
Young Joao is also a superstitious person, like many in his country. If he wears the number 87 with PSG, it is because he has never let it go since winning the Youth League with Benfica in 2022. In Munich on Saturday, he will be playing in his second European final with the number on his back, and he hopes that it will bring him good luck.
And if it does, we can begin to think that the Portuguese was born under a lucky star. A star that has enabled him to become a professional footballer from the age of 17-18 - and not a PE teacher as he would otherwise have liked - play for Benfica, become one of the best young players in his country, sign for a European club capable of competing in the Champions League and become a key player all in the space of nine months. What more could you ask for?
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