Aston Villa director's Palhinha comments leave Benfica worried | OneFootball

Benfica still faces an uphill battle to secure the signing of João Palhinha. Damian Vidagany, Aston Villa’s sporting director, confirmed the English club’s interest in signing the Portuguese midfielder, who also remains on Benfica’s radar.

"We need a player for midfield because Amadou Onana is injured and will miss the entire season. João Palhinha is an excellent player and fits into our plans," Vidagany told German newspaper Bild on the sidelines of Aston Villa’s 2-1 defeat to Bayern.

The official also confirmed that talks are underway for the Portugal international, although there is currently no agreement. Benfica has already made contact with a view to signing the player. The issue, however, lies in Bayern’s financial demands.

Vidagany did not hide his admiration for Palhinha: "I believe Aston Villa would be an excellent club for the player. In the Premier League, there are six or seven clubs with a bigger budget than ours. Even so, in each of the last four seasons we have managed to qualify for European competitions. That is down to our project, the collective work, and the tactical influence of Unai Emery, who, in my opinion, is one of the best coaches in the world."

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