The move of Jorge Jesus to Benfica has already started the rumours of the manager being linked to former players, with the latest player to be linked with joining Jesus is former Sporting striker Islam Slimani. Jesus has always been a big fan of a two striker system in which one of the strikers is a more mobile moving striker as was the partnerships of Jonas/Lima, Gabigol/Henrique from past Jesus clubs. Slimani who was sold by Sporting to Leicester City in the summer of 2016 has spent the past three seasons on loan at Newcastle, Fenerbahce and Monaco and has a valid contract which will not expire with City until the summer of 2021. The English side should have no issue loaning the player out for a fourth straight season if Benfica want to bring the player in but the main stumbling block will be Slimani's €4.5M annual salary and if Benfica would be open to pay that sum for the 32 year old striker.
Slimani appeared in 82 games for Sporting across all competitions, scoring 32 goals with 10 helpers and was a member of Sporting's 2016 Super Cup and 2015 Taca de Portugal winning sides.
A big name that is now being mentioned around Portugal with a link to Benfica is former PSG striker Edinson Cavani who is available on a free transfer after departing the Paris side. With big changes expected at Benfica next season with the arrival of Jorge Jesus, Benfica is looking to add a more established striker up front and Cavani's name is the dream that the club would like to make a reality. Jesus had Cavani on his short list while Flamengo's manager and his move to Benfica has not changed the managers plans to take a run at the Uruguayan international. The 33 year old striker has spent the past seven seasons with PSG where he has appeared in 301 games across all competitions, scoring 200 goals while setting up another 43. Cavani would require a large investment by Benfica with his salary demands being in the range of €10M per season, which is a huge stumbling block for the Portuguese side. Alternatively Benfica are also being linked with Sevilla's 24 year old striker Carlos Fernandez who spent the season on loan with Granada and the move would work better within the clubs budget.
Reports from Portugal have Jorge Jesus set to leave Flamengo and rejoin Benfica to take over the managerial role at the club for next season. In true Jesus fashion the report states that Jesus agreed to terms with Benfica without informing Flamengo of his interest in leaving the Brazilian side. Benfica President Luis Filipe Vieira made Jesus one of his primary targets to take over at the club next season and is set to give Jesus a war chest of close to €100M to overhaul the current squads roster. One of Jesus's first moves is said to be bringing in three of his current Flamengo players in Bruno Henrique, Gerson and Leo Pereira (Read Here) as his Benfica project gets underway.
Jesus' Flamengo era was one of the more successful in club history with the Portuguese manager winning more titles (5) to total losses (4) in 56 games behind the helm of Flamengo. Jesus is set to depart Rio de Janeiro for Lisbon in the coming days and should be announced as the clubs new manager early next week.
Jesus is set to earn between €4M-€5M per year as part of his new three year contract and Benfica will pay Flamengo his release clause which is said to be in the €1M-€2M range. Jesus returns to a club which he lead to three league titles and ten total trophies during his six year reign from 2009 to 2015.
