1. FC Köln have signed Gil Neves. The 18-year-old midfielder has joined from SL Benfica and signed a long-term contract.
“We’ve followed Gil’s development for a long time and are very pleased that he’s now signed for FC. Gil brings a great set of skills, in a footballing, physical and personal sense, to continue his development for his positions in central and defensive midfield. Throughout the entire process, we felt a huge sense of conviction that FC is the right place for his next steps – the club means a lot to him. We will bring Gil into the first-team at the right pace, without letting the most important component get out of sight – game time,” said Lukas Berg, Technical Director at 1. FC Köln.
Gil Neves said: “I am really pleased to be here in Köln. It is a very special move for me and I can’t wait to run out in the FC kit. I would like to thank everyone involved, because today is a dream come true. I know the club and the city of Köln very well. I was in the stadium regularly as a kid and I am now looking forward to experiencing the club and the fans as a player.”
Neves was born on 9th February 2008 in Luxembourg. The midfielder took his first footballing steps with Syra Mensdorf before moving to F91 Düdelingen in 2022. He spent two years there before moving to SL Benfica’s academy. In the past season, Neves made 23 appearances for the Portuguese giants’ under-23 side. The under-18 Portugal international also featured nine times in the UEFA Youth League before a 3:1 semi-final defeat to Club Brugge. Neves has featured for Luxembourg and Portugal as a youth international. In summer 2025, he helped Portugal’s under-17 to win the U17 European Championship, scoring the third goal in their 3:0 final win over France.
