Marcos Leonardo sparks market! Porto move in, but ex-Benfica picks club | OneFootball

The name of Marcos Leonardo has once again gained momentum in the transfer market, and recent developments point to an outcome that promises to surprise many fans. The former Benfica player, who recently shone in Saudi football, is getting closer and closer to returning to Europe’s biggest stages, and his destination will not be Porto.

According to information reported by journalist Fabrizio Romano, Ajax have taken the lead in the negotiations and are very close to securing the signing of the Brazilian striker. The Amsterdam club are said to have stepped up contacts in recent hours, overtaking competition from several interested parties.

Among the clubs closely monitoring the situation was Porto, who had identified the player as a target to strengthen their attack. Fiorentina were also following the progress of the deal, but both clubs ended up losing ground to the Dutch side, who moved more decisively.

If the transfer is completed, Marcos Leonardo will return to European football after two seasons with Al Hilal. The striker left Benfica for Saudi Arabia and managed to establish himself as one of the team’s standout figures, putting up very positive numbers throughout his time in the Middle East.

In 82 official matches for the Saudi side, the Brazilian scored 48 goals, a tally that once again sparked the interest of several European clubs. Now, all signs point to Ajax securing the signing of the former Eagles striker, in a deal that could be made official in the coming days.

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