Rui Costa eyes Swedish gem, but Benfica face fierce competition | OneFootball

The name of Benfica has long been linked to youth development and young athletes, and that philosophy has never changed. As such, based on the rumors circulating in the European press, the Lisbon club, led by Rui Costa, is being linked with Zebedee Kennedy.

However, according to the same reports, the young forward, only 16 years old and seen as one of the latest prodigies of European football, has attracted strong interest. Besides Benfica, the only club in Portugal interested in Kennedy, the Swedish youngster has also been tracked by clubs such as Juventus, Chelsea, and Wolverhampton.

The young Swede, who is just 16, has stood out in his country’s youth ranks and, at the start of the current season, signed his first professional contract with Mjallby, the surprise national champions. The deal runs until 2028, when the player turns 18 years old.

For now, Zebedee Kennedy is waiting to make his official debut for the first team of the Swedish champions, who surprised the football world with their unprecedented title win. So, the young forward, coveted by Benfica, continues to shine at under-16 level, where he has scored four goals in 12 matches.

As for the academy, Benfica took a very important step in the last day by securing the future of Francisco Wang. The Portuguese-Chinese footballer, who has been standing out in the youth and junior ranks, signed his first professional contract with the Eagles.

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