Benfica make the right move, keeping Darwin

Benfica for one of the rare times this season made a right move when they turned away all offers for 22 year old striker Darwin Nunez during the winter transfer window, even when clubs like West Ham hounded them until the final hours. Benfica is reported to have had a deal on the table similar to the one Liverpool made to acquire Luis Diaz from FC Porto which was €45M plus €15M in add ons but unlike Porto, Benfica are not in the financial trouble that their northern rivals currently face and said no.

Nunez's days at Benfica will more then likely not extend past this season but with the world of football slowly getting back to normal and money trickling back into clubs coffers, Benfica's no right now could see an additional €20M-€30M added to clubs current offers when the summer rolls around. Nunez is currently the leading scorer in Portugal with 15 goals and has chipped in 20 across all competitions this season in just 25 games.

Premiership clubs West Ham and Newcastle have been heavily linked with Nunez along with Spanish clubs Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. The assumption is that more big name clubs will enter the sweepstakes during the summer months, driving up the price of the Uruguayan international who is constantly compared to compatriot Edinson Cavani.

Benfica a shadow of their former selves

Benfica are Benfica in name only, the club is a shadow of it's former self, the self that we all became accustomed to over the past few seasons that saw the club capture 18 trophies in Portugal from 2010 to 2019 as well as make the Europa League final on two occasions. The past two games in the Taca da Liga was the evidence of how far this club has fallen from those glory days.

Benfica under performed to such a drastic level that I fear what awaits the club when the take on Ajax next month on the Champions League round of 16. Jorge Jesus wrecked what was left of this club and although unfair to paint current intern manager Nelson Verissimo in the same boat, we can say he is far from an improvement and his appointment alone tells us that the club hierarchy has given up on the season, so too shall we.

Changes at Benfica are needed from the players all the way to the top, the club needs a new direction, a new manager with a vision and a set of new players that have not only a passion for winning but a passion for the crest that sits atop their heart. Benfica are now a club in search of an identity and that identity can start to begin next season with the appointment of a manager. The fans who are the life line of the club deserve better, we deserve a club that gives it their all even if the outcome is not to our liking. Is that too much to ask? 

The passion we need, the will to win and the fortitude to not lose, forward to 3:08 and 7:10 to see the goals and what we are currently lacking.

 

Seferovic bags are packed for unknown destination

Haris Seferovic's name is being mentioned in numerous sports pages across Europe with a move out of Benfica before the transfer window closes on Monday. Seferovic who is currently recovering from an injury has been linked with Turkish club Fenerbahce and English side Brighton & Hove Albion but terms of any potential deal have yet to be disclosed. Benfica during the summer months had a €20M price tag on the Swiss striker after a great Euro 2020 campaign but failed to take advantage of the added interest and now would more then likely receive a lower amount then what could have been obtained at the time. Seferovic has struggled for playing time this season while battling injuries and has appeared in only twelve games across all competitions, scoring five goals while setting up three in 468 minutes of action.