Benfica land Atletico Madrid center back Clement Lenglet on loan for season

Benfica have completed their first signing of the summer in French center back Clement Lenglet from Atletico Madrid, with the 31-year-old agreeing to join Benfica initially on loan with a mandatory option to buy for no money at seasons end which then adds two more seasons to the deal. Atletico wanted to remove Lenglet's substantial wages from their books for this upcoming season to comply with financial regulations and help reshape their squad.

Benfica are adding an experienced, left-footed defender at a minimal cost. Atletico will retain a future percentage of any sale of the player going forward but no information has yet been released on what that is at the time of this writing. Atletico are more then happy to be saving an estimated €18 million in remaining wages owed to Lenglet through the remainder of his Atletico contract.

Lenglet impressed during a 2024-25 loan from Barcelona with Ateltico that prompted the club to sign him permanently in the summer of 2025 to a three-year deal. However, the 2025-26 season proved difficult as Lenglet made just 19 La Liga starts (1,394 minutes), registering no goals and adding one assist, he was hampered by injuries and a bit-part role.

The Nancy youth product rose to prominence at Sevilla before joining Barcelona in the summer of 2018. He has spent loan spells with Tottenham and Aston Villa before his loan at Atletico. New Benfica coach Marco Silva asked for the player to bolster his central defense and has found his veteran replacement for departed captain Nicolas Otamendi.

This move marks another chapter in Lenglet’s nomadic recent career, shifting from Spain to Portugal as he seeks regular minutes at a top club. Benfica fans will hope his ball-playing ability and aerial presence strengthen their title chances for the upcoming season.  

Wolfsburg readying offer for Benfica right back Dedic

Wolfsburg have expressed interest in signing Benfica’s Bosnian right-back Amar Dedic as they look to bolster their defense ahead of the new Bundesliga season. The 23-year-old, who joined Benfica from RB Salzburg in the summer of 2025 for €12 million, has impressed in his debut season at the Estadio da Luz and has more eyes on him with his participation at World Cup 2026.

Dedic made 24 appearances (21 starts), logging 1,903 minutes. He contributed one goal and four assists, though he picked up three yellow cards and two reds. His performances also featured in European competitions, showcasing versatility and attacking flair from the right flank. He moved into the starting XI, picking up the slack with the often injured Alexander Bah on the shelf again for most of the season.

Benfica are a bit under financial pressure after missing out on the lucrative Champions League this season after finishing third in the league and are expected to offload some key assets this summer to balance the books. Dedic, signed on a long-term deal until 2030, could represent a valuable sale for the Portuguese club. Wolfsburg see the Austria-born defender as a strong, dynamic option to strengthen their backline.

Benfica still have Bah as an option at right back and waiting in the wings is 18-year-old academy star Daniel Banjaqui who has been turning heads at Europe's bigger clubs with his performances throughout Europe with both Benfica and Portugal's youth systems.

Benfica turn once again to Cruzeiro striker Kaio Jorge

Benfica have once again turned their attention to Brazilian striker Kaio Jorge of Cruzeiro, according to recent reports. The 24-year-old forward was heavily linked with a move to the Eagles back in 2021 while at Santos but ultimately made the decision to join Juventus instead.

The Juventus choice did not pan out for Kaio, who struggled to make an impact in Serie A, managing just 11 appearances and no goals over three years. A loan spell at Frosinone yielded three goals in 22 matches, before he returned to Brazil with Cruzeiro in mid-2024 for €7.2 million. 

The move back to Brazil has proven to be the correct one with Kaio exploding in form, during the 2025 season. He netted an impressive 26 goals across competitions, including 21 in the Brasileirao, along with  seven assists, helping establish himself as a top scorer and earning him his first call up to the Brazil national squad.

Cruzeiro are now demanding a substantial €30 million fee for the in-form striker. Benfica coach Marco Silva is said to be an admirer of the player's profile but the club would likely need to offload one of their current strikers, with Franjo Ivanovic being the likely option to fund any deal for Kaio.

Flamengo are also circling with serious interest, driving up the price to any potential transfer. Kaio’s resurgence in Brazil has made him once again a high-value target capable of bolstering Benfica’s attack if  the club sorts out the financial side of the deal.