Benfica consider Georgiy Sudakov exit if Rodrigo Zalazar is signed | OneFootball

Benfica are weighing the departure of Georgiy Sudakov to create room for Rodrigo Zalazar, their preferred creative target, according to Glorioso 1904.

The plan would effectively replace one playmaker with another, with the Braga midfielder identified to boost the team’s imagination.

Sudakov has underperformed since arriving at the Luz. Once seen as an attacking upgrade in midfield, he slipped down the pecking order as the season progressed.

The club have opened talks with the player’s representatives to seek a market solution. The midfielder, contracted until 2028, has shown physical and emotional fatigue and needs to rebuild confidence and competitive stability.

Work on Zalazar continues and he is viewed as a priority for 2026/27. The Uruguay international is in the best form of his career and would demand a sizeable fee in a testing negotiation with the Braga hierarchy led by António Salvador.

This season Sudakov has made 36 appearances for Benfica, 22 in Liga Portugal Betclic, nine in the Champions League, three in the Taça de Portugal and two in the Taça da Liga. Across 2,381 minutes, the number 10 has four goals and five assists, and is valued at €28 million.

Source: Glorioso 1904