Benfica linked to Waalwijk defender Touba

Benfica have added RKC Waalwijk defender Ahmed Touba to their summer transfer wish list according to reports from French publication Foot Mercato. Incoming new manager Roger Schmidt is famaliar with the 24 year old center back from their encounters in the Dutch Eredivisie over the past two seasons. Schmidt has a plan for Benfica and is looking to add the right players to his incoming system for next season.

Touba who plays internationally for Algeria was born in France and spent his youth in the Belgian football system, spending time at Club Brugge, OH Leuven and FC Brugge before moving to Dutch side Waalwijk in the summer of 2020. Touba has appeared in 60 games across all competitions for Waalwijk, scoring three goals while setting up an additional two. Touba's addition would more then likely mean the departure of one of the clubs senior center backs in Jan Vertonghen or Nicolas Otamendi.

Benfica President Rui Costa wants Horta at club

Benfica President Rui Costa is said to want Braga winger Ricardo Horta as a reinforcement for next season at the club according to reports from Portugal. Benfica's interest in Horta is not new but with the club set for a major overhaul of players this summer, he is a player currently on the clubs radar. 

Horta who is 27 years old came up through Benfica's youth system along with brother Andre Horta but did not make any appearances for the main squad before departing to Setubal in the summer of 2013. Horta then made a move to Spanish side Malaga in 2014 before a season long loan sent him to Braga in 2016 a move that became permanent in the summer of 2017.

Horta has had a sensation 2021/22 campaign in which he has scored 21 goals across all competitions including 17 in league play while providing 10 assists. Horta has appeared in 277 games since joining Braga across all competitions, scoring 91 goals which is the clubs all time high while adding 48 assists. Braga President Antoine Salvador is said to want €20M to move Horta but Benfica will work to lower that price tag by adding some of the clubs youngsters to any future deal.

Schmidt asks Benfica for new keeper

Roger Schmidt, Benfica's unofficial new manager is said to have already been making requests of the club for new player acquisitions during the summer and one of those players according to reports out of Portugal is current Arminia Bielefeld keeper Stefan Ortega. The 29 year old shot stopper becomes a free agent in the summer and Schmidt is interested in Ortega becoming the clubs new number one keeper taking over the spot currently held by another German born keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos.

Ortega has spent the past five seasons at Bielefeld, were he has appeared in 218 games across all competitions while maintaining 68 clean sheets in the process. Ortega is said to have other interested suitors in German clubs Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen but both clubs would be looking at Ortega in a back up role which may just give Benfica the upper hand in negotiations for the keeper.