Jorge Cuenca close to Benfica; deal figures with Fulham | OneFootball

Benfica are getting closer and closer to securing the signing of Jorge Cuenca, a Spanish centre-back who plays for Fulham. The 26-year-old fits the profile the Eagles are looking for to strengthen the heart of the defence, especially after Nicolás Otamendi’s departure for River Plate.

According to Luís Pinto Coelho on the newspaper Bola na Rede’s 'Lei do Mercado' podcast, the deal is at a very advanced stage and could be completed soon. The same source says the Eagles are willing to invest around €15 million to secure the arrival of the Spanish youth international for next season’s squad.

Although Marco Silva’s connection to the player is seen as an important factor, Jorge Cuenca had already been monitored by Benfica for several months. The left-footed centre-back has been on Benfica’s radar for quite some time and continues to enjoy broad approval because of his technical qualities and ability to build play from the back.

According to Luís Pinto Coelho, the agreement is practically done, with only a few final details left to sort out. If the transfer goes through, Cuenca will work again with Marco Silva, the coach who managed him over the past two seasons at Fulham.

In the 2025/26 season, the Spanish defender made 22 appearances for the London side. Although he was not an undisputed starter, he took on a bigger role in his second season in England, showing progress and consistency whenever he was called into the first team.

Jorge Cuenca’s career path also includes a spell at Barcelona, where he was seen as one of the Catalan academy’s brightest prospects. In 2018, he regularly trained with Ernesto Valverde’s first team and even made one official appearance for the Blaugrana, in a Copa del Rey match against Cultural Leonesa.

Now, the Madrid-born defender may be on the verge of starting a new challenge in his career, this time with Benfica.

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