Benfica halt move for Ibrahima Ba and turn to another target | OneFootball

Benfica remain attentive to the transfer market in search of solutions to strengthen the heart of the defence, but for now, Ibrahima Ba is not at the top of the priority list. The 21-year-old Senegalese centre-back, who plays for Famalicão, has been linked with the Eagles in recent weeks after his name was mentioned in connection with both Benfica and Sporting.

Although he is liked by the structure led by Rui Costa and is properly monitored by those in charge at the club from Luz, the player’s profile does not fully match the needs defined for this transfer window. Benfica are currently looking for a more experienced centre-back and, preferably, a left-footed one, qualities considered important to balance the defensive sector after the departure of Nicolás Otamendi, who saw his contract expire and continued his career at River Plate.

Even so, the Senegal under-21 international remains under observation. The potential he has shown while playing for Famalicão continues to generate interest, and his name could gain greater relevance if António Silva or Tomás Araújo leave during the transfer window.

While evaluating several options for the position, Benfica’s SAD also knows that any potential negotiation for Ibrahima Ba would not be simple. The defender recently renewed his contract with Famalicão until 2030, which strengthens the Minho club’s negotiating position.

In addition, Famalicão’s officials are pointing to a transfer fee in the region of €20 million, a figure that reflects the player’s growing market value. For now, Benfica are keeping the process at the monitoring stage, without any concrete progress, while continuing to analyse different alternatives to strengthen central defence before the official start of the new season.

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