Glorioso 1904 exclusive: Key Benfica figure doesn't want Otamendi to stay | OneFootball

José Mourinho and Benfica’s technical structure are already working on preparations for next season and, in that context, the coach does not intend to keep Nicolás Otamendi for 2026/27, believing that the Argentine center-back’s cycle at the club is coming to an end, Glorioso 1904 has learned.

The idea of the 'Special One' is to promote a renewal in the Eagles’ central defense, making room for other options in the Reds’ squad. This is a vision framed within the sporting planning for the new season.

According to what our newspaper has found out, the coach’s position is not related to the sending-off in the most recent match against Famalicão (2-2), nor to any particular recent episode. The assessment is overall and is based on factors such as age and level of performance.

Even so, the process is not closed at the institutional level. The 38-year-old center-back remains captain and an important figure within the group, so any final decision on his future should be discussed at the end of the season by all parties involved.

This season, in the service of Benfica, Nicolás Otamendi — valued at €1 million — has already made 48 appearances: 29 in Liga Portugal Betclic, 14 in the Champions League, two in the Portuguese Cup, two in the League Cup and one in the Super Cup. In the 4,224 minutes he has been on the pitch, the Argentine has scored three goals.

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