Jaden Umeh impresses Marco Silva as 19-year-old shines in Benfica pre-season | OneFootball

Marco Silva’s first days in charge at Benfica have been marked by 19-year-old winger Jaden Umeh catching the eye. According to Glorioso 1904, the Irish prospect has stood out early in pre-season.

Benfica continued preparations for 2026/27 with a 5-2 friendly win over Estrela da Amadora. Vangelis Pavlidis scored twice, with Rafa Silva, João Rego and Rui Silva also on target.

Umeh did not score but started on the left and impressed the new head coach. He has earned chances in the absence of Andreas Schjelderup and is using pre-season to stake his claim.

If he maintains this level, Umeh could be handed minutes in 2026/27, though the initial plan is for him to be with the B team. He is among the club’s priorities for a new contract and is drawing growing international interest.

The forward was called up by the Ireland national team in May, with Heimir Hallgrímsson saying he sees significant potential, that Umeh’s ceiling is unclear, and that he is eager to work with him and understand his limits.

For Benfica’s youth sides in 2025/26, Umeh made 36 appearances, 13 in Liga Next Gen, 13 in the Juniors league, nine in the UEFA Youth League and one in the Premier League International Cup. Across 2,695 minutes he registered 15 goals and five assists.

Source: Glorioso 1904