Marco Silva to breathe new life into three Benfica players | OneFootball

Officially presented as José Mourinho’s successor in charge of Benfica, Marco Silva has already begun preparing for the new season and outlining the main structure of the squad that will be at his disposal in 2026/27. Although reinforcements are expected in this transfer window, the coach believes there are several internal options capable of taking on a new role under his leadership.

Among the players heading into the new season with renewed prospects is Manu Silva. Signed from Vitória de Guimarães at the start of 2025 for around €12 million, the midfielder saw his breakthrough in Benfica colours interrupted almost as soon as his adventure at the Luz began.

Just three games after arriving at Benfica, the Portugal under-21 international suffered a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, an injury that forced him to stop for several months and undergo surgery.

In addition to Manu Silva, Georgiy Sudakov and Franjo Ivanovic are also part of Marco Silva’s plans for next season. The two players lost ground over the second half of last season, especially after Bruno Lage’s departure and José Mourinho’s arrival as head coach. With less prominence in recent months, both ended up playing a secondary role in the team’s plans.

Now, with new technical leadership and fresh tactical ideas, Sudakov and Ivanovic will have the chance to start almost from scratch and fight for a prominent place in the Benfica squad. Pre-season will be decisive for all three players, at a time when Marco Silva intends to closely assess all available options before defining Benfica’s priorities for the transfer market.

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