Exclusive Glorioso 1904 - Tomás Araújo to Madrid? Benfica plan next move | OneFootball

Despite Real Madrid’s interest, Benfica will not let Tomás Araújo go, Glorioso 1904 has learned. The Spanish club is keeping an eye on the young centre-back, but Rui Costa does not want to say goodbye to one of the biggest figures in the Eagles’ squad.

José Mourinho knows the Portuguese international well from the time he coached Benfica and remains an admirer of the Benfica centre-back’s qualities. However, according to our newspaper, the club’s hierarchy is not considering letting the defender leave, as he is seen as one of the main pillars of the Club’s present and future.

Another reason for this stance is the fact that Benfica are weakened in central defence. With the departures of Nicolás Otamendi and Gonçalo Oliveira, and Joshua Wynder’s lack of maturity, Rui Costa and Marco Silva want to strengthen the defence rather than leave it even more short-handed.

At 24, Tomás Araújo is going through one of the best spells of his career and is currently in the United States, where he is representing Portugal at the World Cup. The competition could help consolidate his status both inside and outside the Eagles.

Last season, playing for Benfica, Tomás Araújo — valued at €30 million — made 39 official appearances: 23 in the Liga Portugal Betclic, nine in the Champions League, four in the Portuguese Cup, two in the League Cup and one in the Liga Portugal Meu Super. In the 2,795 minutes he spent on the pitch, the defender recorded one goal and two assists.

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