Official! Benfica announce signing of Slovak international striker | OneFootball

Benfica continue to strengthen their academy and have secured the signing of Alan Lembakoali. The 16-year-old Slovak forward arrives from Austria Vienna and will continue his development at Benfica Campus after two seasons with the Austrian club.

A youth international for Slovakia, the young attacker is preparing for his first experience in Portugal and is initially expected to join Benfica’s under-17 and under-19 ranks. Speaking to the club’s official media, Benfica, Alan Lembakoali did not hide his happiness at completing a move to one of Europe’s most renowned clubs for developing young talent.

"I’m very happy to be here. First of all, it was incredible. I asked my father if it was really true. He said yes, that Benfica wanted me to come to their academy. It’s a difficult decision because I’m leaving my family and friends, but my family know this is the best option for me".

The forward believes the move to Seixal represents an important step in his career and said he is motivated to make the most of the opportunity to develop in a highly competitive environment. Alan Lembakoali has already made five appearances for Slovakia’s youth teams. After scoring two goals in three matches for the Under-15s, he repeated the feat with the Under-16s, where he scored twice again in just two games.

The youngster also described his main qualities on the pitch and revealed the goals he hopes to achieve at Benfica: "I’d describe myself as a quick player who likes one-on-one situations, and you can expect lots of goals and assists. My biggest dreams? I’d say playing for Benfica’s first team and winning everything here, while also giving my very best".

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