Barça-trained centre-back could join Benfica at Marco Silva's call | OneFootball

Benfica’s interest in Jorge Cuenca has gained momentum again in recent days, in a scenario where the Spanish centre-back could emerge as one of the players linked to the new project led by Marco Silva, should the coach make the move to the Luz. The player, currently at Fulham, has already worked with the Portuguese manager and is seen as a versatile solution for Benfica’s defence.

Developed at Barcelona, Cuenca was once considered one of the great defensive prospects in Catalonia, having joined first-team training while still very young, in 2018. At that stage, he worked under Ernesto Valverde and was part of a generation that also produced names such as Marc Cucurella and Abel Ruiz, formerly of Braga.

Despite the strong competition at the "blaugrana" club, the centre-back ended up making just one official appearance for the first team, in a Copa del Rey tie, before continuing his career at Villarreal, where he gradually established himself in Spanish football.

His connection with Marco Silva began in the Premier League, at Fulham, where the Portuguese coach valued his ability to play both as a centre-back and as a left-back. The manager even publicly praised his versatility and tactical maturity, highlighting him as a player "capable of playing in more than one position".

Now, with Benfica keeping a close eye on the market and assessing options to strengthen the heart of the defence, the name of Jorge Cuenca has returned to the table. The progress of the negotiations will also depend on the Marco Silva situation, which could open the door to further movement between England and the Luz.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.