Rafa Silva in Lisbon, but Benfica’s new signing not seen | OneFootball

Breaking news: Rafa Silva is already in Lisbon and close to strengthening Benfica. According to various sources, the Portuguese international has already landed; however, he was not spotted by the press waiting for him in the arrivals area of Humberto Delgado Airport.

As revealed by the newspaper A Bola, on the afternoon of this Wednesday, January 21, the former Eagles star is said to have traveled on a private flight, destined for the Tires Aerodrome, around 11:00 am. However, the same source explains that the plane ended up being diverted to Humberto Delgado Airport, in the capital.

However, at this very moment, the press reveals that Rafa Silva managed to 'escape' the journalists waiting for him at the location. The sports daily assumes that the footballer, close to strengthening Benfica, left the airport premises through an alternative exit. While the footballer evaded them, the athlete's agent, João Araújo, the player's girlfriend, and the couple's dog were spotted in the arrivals terminal.

It should be noted that the Portuguese's arrival in the capital further strengthens the transfer to Benfica. It is worth remembering that Mário Branco was essential in unlocking the deal with Besiktas, which is expected to receive around 5 million euros, plus 2 million euros in variables from the Clube da Luz.

This season, playing for Besiktas, Rafa Silva — valued at five million euros — played 16 official matches: 10 in the Turkish League, four in the Conference League, and two in the Europa League qualifying phase. In the 1,360 minutes played, the player scored five goals and made three assists.

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