Deserve to be near, perhaps (4)
I believe the answer is:
earn
'deserve' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'near perhaps' is the wordplay.
'perhaps' is an anagram indicator.
'near' anagrammed gives 'EARN'.
'to be' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for earn that I've seen before include "make bread?" , "Deserve; get paid" , "Make money" , "Attain" , "Win" .)