Benfica’s winter signings, from successes to failures | OneFootball

The winter window has long brought risk and opportunity for Benfica, with mid-season signings used to plug gaps and recalibrate squads. According to Glorioso 1904, some arrivals have defined eras, others faded quickly.

Among the successes, Karel Poborsky arrived in January 1998 from Manchester United and became a reference across three seasons. Tiago signed in January 2002, a decisive step that propelled his European career. André Almeida joined in January 2012, established himself as a regular and later captain.

Grimaldo is the standout winter addition. Signed in January 2016, he held the left-back berth for eight seasons and amassed more than 300 official matches. More recently, Álvaro Carreras came in January 2024 and, within a season and a half, became central to the side, which led to his transfer to Real Madrid the following summer.

Not every January bet worked. Marcelo Moretto arrived in 2006 but never truly settled, playing few games across two and a half seasons. Eder Luís was signed in 2010 and stayed just half a campaign. Hany Mukhtar, recruited in January 2015, made only one official outing.

Marcelo Hermes and Dyego Sousa also fell short. The Brazilian full-back made one first-team appearance after his 2017 arrival, while Dyego Sousa, on loan in 2020, departed without scoring.

Source: Glorioso 1904