Deal done! Gonçalo Oliveira bids farewell to Benfica and heads to... | OneFootball

Gonçalo Oliveira is leaving Benfica to strengthen Rennes. The young centre-back, captain of the Eagles’ B team, is set to move to French football in a transfer valued at €3.5 million, also allowing Benfica to secure a buy-back clause on the player.

First reported by Renascença and confirmed by Record, the 19-year-old defender thus brings to an end a long connection with the Club of Light, where he completed his entire development. Over the last few seasons, Gonçalo Oliveira stood out for the B team and even took part in several training sessions with the first team, first under Bruno Lage and later under José Mourinho.

Although he never officially debuted for Benfica’s first team, the centre-back was seen as one of the most promising players to come through the club’s academy. His performances attracted the attention of several European clubs, especially in France, where he had been closely monitored for several months.

It should be remembered that, in April, the website 'Top Mercato', as cited by O Jogo, revealed that Lens and Strasbourg were following the progress of the young Portuguese international. At the time, the same source highlighted the defender’s consistent performances both for the B team and in youth competitions, including the UEFA Youth League.

However, it was Rennes who ultimately secured the signing of Gonçalo Oliveira. The French side, who finished last season’s Ligue 1 in sixth place, are now betting on the growth of the young Portuguese centre-back, while Benfica protect a possible future deal through the buy-back right agreed between the parties.

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