Villarreal looking at Benfica winger Goncalo Guedes

Benfica winger Goncalo Guedes has popped up on the radar of Spanish club Villarreal according to reports from Spain's Radio Marca. The 26 year old has been on loan at Benfica from Wolverhampton since January of 2022 and has only recently returned from a lengthy injury suffered late into of last season.

Villarreal has just hired Guedes' former Valencia manager Marcelino Toral and the Spaniard sees Guedes as potential solution to the prolonged absence of the club's striker Yereni Pino. Guedes has a contract with Wolves until the summer of 2027 and Benfica are not keen to lose the winger as the battle for the Portuguese League title.

Future of Lucas Verissimo to be decided in winter window

Lucas Verissimo is currently applying his trade in his homeland of Brazil on loan from Benfica to Corinthians until the end of June 2024. Benfica received €1M from Corinthians for the loan, which started this past summer.

Corinthians are in the middle of a presidential election, but both combatants have expressed their interest in making Verissimo's loan deal permanent before the loan expires in 2024. Benfica acquired the 28 year old from Santos in the winter of 2021 for €6.5M, and signed the center back until the summer of 2026.

Benfica is no longer interested in bringing Verissimo back to the club and is open to negotiating a move out for the right price. Verissimo appeared in 41 games across all competitions in his time with the club, scoring five goals while providing two helpers. 

It was Verissimo's long term injury that opened the door for Antonio Silva to step in at the club last season, and the rest is history.

 

Benfica closing in on move for Velez winger

Benfica are set to beat a couple of European giants in Real Madrid and Barcelona for the signature of 17 year old Argentinian winger Gianluca Prestianni, who is currently applying his trade with Velez Sarsfield in Argentina.

Velez's newly elected President, Fabian Berlanda, confirms that the club has received an offer from Benfica for Prestianni and that they will analyze the formal bid from the Lisbon club, which is said to be in the area of €8M for 85% of players rights plus bonuses.

Prestianni is considered one of the best young talents currently playing in Argentina and has this season appeared in 33 games across all competitions for Velez, scoring 3 goals in 1660 minutes of action.