Lenglet arrives in Lisbon as Benfica move nears after talks with Rui Costa | OneFootball

Clément Lenglet has arrived in Lisbon as a move to Benfica nears, the French centre-back expressing enthusiasm about the switch.

According to Glorioso 1904, the 31-year-old landed at Tires Airport in the morning and is expected to sign a three-year deal to June 2029.

On arrival he said he was very happy, had spoken with Rui Costa and Marco Silva, and that he knows many Benfica players.

Lenglet has long been on Marco Silva’s wishlist. The Portuguese coach tried to sign him while at Fulham, but the defender preferred clubs fighting for major European honours and, despite reduced minutes last season at Atlético de Madrid, he still drew interest.

There were financially attractive approaches from Saudi Arabia, but he opted to stay in Europe and join Benfica’s project. He comes after two seasons at Atlético de Madrid, having also played for Barcelona, Tottenham and Aston Villa, with his most stable spell at Barcelona where he made over 160 appearances.

Left-footed, he fits Silva’s build-from-the-back approach, showing calm distribution and strong tactical reading. He can be less dominant aerially, less aggressive in duels and not the quickest, factors that may require adaptation to Portuguese football. His top-level experience makes him a strong bet to play a significant role in 2026/27.

Source: Glorioso 1904