Benfica emerge in race for Roma left back Dahl

Benfica have entered the race for Roma left back Samuel Dahl, as according to Gianluca Di Marzio the Lisbon side have moved into the front runners spot to land the 21 year old Swedish wing back before the transfer window closes.

Benfica need some depth at left back after selling Jan-Niklas Beste, late last week to Freiburg in Germany and currently only have Alvaro Fernandez who plays the position naturally. Benfica are open to a loan move for Dahl with an option to buy.

Dahl arrived at Roma in the summer of 2024 but has not seen many minutes since his arrival appearing in only 240 minutes of action across all competitions. Benfica are in competition with Besiktas for the player's signature but their place in the Champions League looks to have tilted the player in their favour.

Benfica add interesting name to striker want list

Benfica is creating waves in the winter transfer window. President Rui Costa recently hinted at roster changes, stirring excitement among fans and analysts alike. As speculation grows, Italian striker Andrea Belotti has emerged as a potential addition to the squad. However, this move hinges on whether Arthur Cabral will leave the club during this transfer period. 

Such a strategic decision highlights Benfica's ambition to stay competitive and raises important questions about their attacking setup moving forward. Belotti is known for his physicality and ability to find space in the box. His strengths include his aerial ability and strong finishing skills. However, he has faced challenges in consistency, particularly with injuries. 

Should Cabral leave, Benfica would need to reassess their attacking options as Cabral has been linked to West Ham, Torino, Atlanta FC and clubs in Brazil, hence during the past week, Benfica have been linked to a host of strikers that would replace the Brazilian.

The financial impact of Cabral's transfer would allow Benfica to reinvest in a new striker and potentially strengthen the club in other areas of the squad. The 31 year old Belotti is said to be open to a move to Lisbon as he has been used sparingly at Como this season, playing only 650 minutes across all competitions, while scoring two goals.

Benfica will face Monaco in Champions League Playoff

Benfica will face Monaco in the Champions League playoff for a place in the round of 16 in what will be an interesting two leg affair. The first leg of the match up will take place on February 12 in Monaco in a rematch of game 5 of the league phase in which Benfica came from behind to win 3-2. While the second leg will be back at the Luz a week later on February 18.

The winner of this contest will face either Liverpool or Barcelona in the round of 16 and pocket €11M for advancing to the next round. League rivals Sporting have been drawn to face Borussia Dortmund while FC Porto will take on Roma in the Europa League.