Heads up! Gabriel Índio will miss out for Benfica due to... age | OneFootball

Gabriel Índio’s trip to Lisbon is scheduled, but the contract will still have to wait for the player’s signature. The young Brazilian centre-back cannot be presented by Benfica or play for the Eagles because of his age.

However, there is a clear plan in place. Índio will land in Lisbon at 17 and will begin working under Marco Silva in the coming days, with the proper authorization from Athletic MG - a club managed by Rui Duarte. Despite the regulatory obstacle, Benfica and the Minas Gerais club have reached an agreement, and the Eagles are working to speed up the youngster’s integration and adaptation. He could therefore join pre-season.

The restriction did not weigh heavily during negotiations, especially since Benfica see the centre-back as a signing for the present, but above all for the future. The Lisbon club plans to make the Brazilian the fourth centre-back in the squad, paying around €4 million.

This year, wearing the Athletic MG shirt, Gabriel Índio - valued at €50,000 - made 16 appearances: eight in the Minas Gerais state championship, four in Brazil’s Serie B, two in the Copinha and another two in the Brazilian Cup. The Brazilian defender spent 1,015 minutes on the pitch.

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