Cruzeiro striker tipped as Benfica target for 2026/27 | OneFootball

Benfica have once again placed Kaio Jorge on the list of potential attacking reinforcements, as an option for Pavlidis. The Brazilian forward, currently playing for Cruzeiro, was already very close to moving to Luz in 2021, when Jorge Jesus was in charge of the Eagles, but he ultimately chose to continue his career at Juventus.

Now, at 24, the striker’s name has returned to Benfica’s radar at a time when the club remains attentive to the market. According to Brazilian outlet RTI Esporte, the signing of Kaio Jorge depends on the departure of one of the current forwards in the squad.

Vangelis Pavlidis and Franjo Ivanovic are the players mentioned as possible candidates to make room in the attacking department, although the Greek international’s situation appears more stable. Recently, Benfica general football director Mário Branco publicly assured that Pavlidis intends to stay at Luz and that he is part of the club’s plans for the new season.

The same source says that Benfica’s interest is being strongly driven by Marco Silva, who likes the Brazilian forward’s characteristics. The Portuguese coach is looking for a mobile striker, capable of taking part in attacking build-up play, exploiting space in behind, and pressing the opposition’s build-up, traits he believes are present in Kaio Jorge’s game.

After fully recovering from the serious injury he suffered during his time at Juventus, Kaio Jorge has re-established himself in Brazilian football. The forward scored 26 goals in 2025 and has already added 12 more in 2026, numbers that earned him a return to the Brazilian national team. With a contract at Cruzeiro until 2030, the Brazilian continues to attract interest on the international market and is once again one of the names Benfica are monitoring to strengthen their attack.

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