Rui Costa steps on it at Benfica, urgent mission for Marco Silva | OneFootball

Benfica have already started preparing for the new season and, with Marco Silva very close to taking charge of the Reds, the SAD led by Rui Costa is speeding up several processes in the summer transfer market.

As such, the Reds consider central defence to be the main priority for this summer. The departure of Nicolás Otamendi left an important gap in the squad, both because of his quality on the pitch and the leadership he provided in the dressing room.

With that in mind, Benfica want to secure the signing of two centre-backs. The first choice is an experienced player, capable of immediately taking on a leading role in the team and filling the space left by the Eagles’ former captain.

In addition, Benfica’s decision-makers are also looking for a younger centre-back, seen as a strategic investment for the future. The idea is to strengthen the position with a player who can grow within the project and establish himself in the medium to long term.

The need to act quickly is even greater because of the expected absences at the start of pre-season. Gonçalo Oliveira is on his way to Rennes, while Tomás Araújo will be with the national team at the 2026 World Cup. With Benfica starting work at the end of June and making their debut in the second qualifying round of the Europa League on 23 July, Rui Costa and Marco Silva want to have the defensive sector sorted out as early as possible.

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