Row! Ex-Benfica midfielder's father blasts Rui Costa: tying kids down | OneFootball

Benfica confirmed this Friday the transfer of midfielder Gil Neves to German side Cologne. The Lisbon club made the deal official, bringing the player's link with the Eagles' academy setup to an end two years after his arrival. However, this transfer is causing controversy because of statements made by a family member.

Rui Neves, the father of the 18-year-old central midfielder, says that the board led by Rui Costa presented a renewal offer that "was not interesting" and speaks of a "dangerous" strategy that could affect the future of the Eagles' young players.

"Football is a lot of strategy and a lot of politics. Benfica's policy is to 'tie down' young players for five years and then be able to decide unilaterally whether to give them an opportunity or not", he said in an interview with newspaper Contacto.

Gil Neves signed for the Eagles at the age of 16 and was about to enter the final year of his contract. The player, who is from Luxembourg, decided to move to Germany, where, because of the country's proximity to his homeland and the ease of the language, he believes he can take steady steps toward success.

The German club acquired the rights to the 18-year-old player for a fee of around €1 million, while the Eagles secured a significant percentage of any future sale, protecting a potential financial return later on.

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