Benfica make informal contact with Santos striker

Benfica have reached out to 20 year old Santos striker Marcos Leonardo according to reports out of Brazil's Globo Esporte. Santos was recently relegated from the top division in Brazil and will be heading to Serie B for the first time in their history and should see an exodus of its top players over the winter window.

Leonardo's player rights belong to both Santos and Sao Paulo and it is said that the club is looking for between €15M to €20M for the players services. Leonardo scored 21 goals in 2023 across 49 games while providing four helpers. Benfica would need to move out one of its strikers if it were to make this move with Arthur Cabral the likely candidate.

Real Madrid, Arsenal and Newcastle are said to have also inquired about the player.

Rafa Silva now free to sign with any club

When the clock struck midnight, it officially made Rafa Silva a free agent able to negotiate a new contract with any club, with his contract at Benfica coming to an end at the conclusion of the season.

Benfica and Rafa seem far apart on a new contract, as the forward's asking price is out of the range of what the club is open to paying. The 30 year old currently earns €2.5M per season at Benfica and the club seems to have accepted that they will part ways with the player when the season ends.

Rafa turned down an offer during the summer from Qatari side Al-Sadd, which would have paid him a reported €7.5M per season but many feel that the Middle East could be the forward's future destination as clubs there continue to splash high salaries on foreign arrivals.

Rafa has been with Benfica since arriving in the summer of 2016 from Braga and has appeared in 300 games across all competitions for the Lisbon side. Rafa in his time at the club, has scored 81 goals, while setting up an additional 72. Rafa's Instagram account also no longer references Benfica a sign of things to come?

 

Benfica to move defender Joao Victor to Vasco

Benfica are set to announce the sale of center back Joao Victor to Brazilian side Vasco da Gama for €6M, with add-ons that could bring the total move to €8M. 

The 25 year old arrived at the Lisbon club in the summer of 2022 from Corinthians for €9.5M, but could never carve out a place within the squad and will depart having appeared in only five games with a grand total of 170 minutes of action.

Victor dropped down the depth chart this season, becoming the fifth option for Roger Schmidt's side. Victor was even given a chance to be the club's backup right back this season, but that move failed miserable, and the club finally decided to move on from the player.