Benfica to battle FC Porto for Salzburg midfielder

Benfica have reignited their pursuit of Red Bull Salzburg’s rising midfield star, Bartosz Mazurek. The Eagles previously tracked the 19-year-old Polish international before his summer move to Austria, but securing his signature now means navigating a major domestic transfer war.

Arch-rivals FC Porto are also pushing hard for the youngster. Porto’s president, Andre Villas-Boas, has publicly acknowledged his club's continuous monitoring of the midfielder. Meanwhile, Premier League outfit Brighton are closely watching developments.

Mazurek originally developed through the youth ranks of Warmia Grajewo before moving to Jagiellonia Bialystok, where his professional career truly took flight. He completed a €6 million move to Salzburg in July of this past summer.

The midfielder's verified statistics reflect rapid growth across both seasons:

• 2025–26 Season (Jagiellonia Bialystok): 1 goal and 3 assists across 23 domestic appearances.

• 2026–27 Season (Red Bull Salzburg): 1 goal and 3 assists in 8 Austrian Bundesliga matches so far. 

With a contract running until 2031, Salzburg stand firm on their prized asset. However, a massive transfer battle between the two Portuguese giants remains highly likely.