Lenglet backed by Benfica to lead the defence: meet Luz's new boss | OneFootball

Benfica continue to prepare for the new season with Marco Silva already in charge at Seixal, but the squad is still far from complete. After the initial moves in the market, the Eagles are still working on bringing in reinforcements, and Clément Lenglet has now emerged as a strong candidate to take charge of the heart of the defence.

Rui Costa had already made it clear at the last general assembly that Benfica would sign an experienced centre-back, capable of bringing immediate stability to the back line. In that context, the 31-year-old French international fits the profile identified by the club’s hierarchy, and is being tipped as the likely new leader of Marco Silva’s defence.

Lenglet has a career packed with experience at the highest European level. Developed at Nancy, he stood out at Sevilla before being transferred to Barcelona for around €40 million in 2018 , where he reached the highest point of his career, although he never quite established himself as an undisputed starter over several seasons.

After Barcelona, the French defender had spells at Tottenham, Aston Villa and Atlético Madrid, gaining experience in both the Premier League and La Liga, although without returning to the level that earned him a move to the Catalan giants. Last season, in Atlético’s colours, he made 24 official appearances and recorded one assist.

From a technical point of view, Lenglet is a left-footed centre-back with good build-up ability and game reading, and could be an important piece in Marco Silva’s Benfica playing out from the back. However, the Frenchman shows weaknesses in the air, in the aggression of his duels, and in pace—traits that raise doubts about the immediate impact he could have at the Estádio da Luz.

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