Benfica player backed by Lage set to leave, deal falls through | OneFootball

Leandro Santos was almost set to join Vitória de Guimarães, but the transfer fell through. The young full-back, who was introduced by Bruno Lage at Benfica, saw the process face an unexpected setback. The move to Minho, considered certain in recent hours, did not materialize, keeping the player contractually tied to the Clube da Luz.

The agreement between the parties included a payment of 500,000 euros for half of the player's rights. Besides the immediate financial gain, Benfica's management would retain a future buy-back option. The terms were set to safeguard Benfica's interests, allowing them to monitor the player's development at a higher competitive level away from Seixal.

Before the interest from Guimarães, the defender was strongly linked to Alverca. It remains to be seen if the Ribatejo team will make another attempt. The immediate future of the star remains uncertain, with the possibility of being loaned out to gain minutes and experience, something crucial at this stage of growth.

Debut happened with Bruno Lage

His debut for the first team occurred in a thrashing against Estrela da Amadora. Under the technical guidance of Bruno Lage, the winger participated in the 7-0 victory in the Portuguese Cup. It was a significant moment for the footballer, who earned the trust of the Setúbal-born coach in that match played at Estádio da Luz.

This season, wearing the Benfica jersey, Leandro Santos – valued at 1 million euros – played 13 matches: nine in the Segunda Liga and four in the Elite League U20. In the 893 minutes he was on the field, the defender scored one goal and provided one assist, showing promising signs.

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