The 18-year-old midfielder Gil Neves has signed a long-term deal with Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln, having transferred from the Portuguese top club Benfica Lissabon. Lukas Berg, Technical Director at FC Köln, is excited about the new signing: 'We have been following Gil's career for a long time and are very happy to bring him to Cologne. Gil brings outstanding footballing, physical, and character traits that will support his development in a central defensive midfield role.'
Neves himself shares this joy: 'I am very excited to be here in Cologne now. This is a special transfer for me, and I can hardly wait to wear the FC jersey. I want to thank everyone involved because it's fulfilling my dream.'
Gil Neves was born on February 9, 2008, in Luxembourg and started his football career with the local club Syra Mensdorf. In the summer of 2024, he joined Benfica Lissabon where he spent two years in their academy. Last season, he played in 23 matches for the first team's U23 side and made nine appearances in the UEFA Youth League.
He won the European Championship with Portugal's U17 team in summer 2025, scoring the goal in the 3-0 final against France. Neves was also active for Luxembourgish and Portuguese youth national teams.
