Tavares: ex-Real Madrid star missed Benfica move as Eagles delayed | OneFootball

Fernando Tavares once again pointed the finger at the sporting policy pursued by Benfica SAD in women’s football since leaving the club’s vice-presidency. In a post on LinkedIn, the former executive revealed the behind-the-scenes details of the failed signing of Hayley Raso and explained the reasons why, in his view, the Australian international was prevented from moving to Luz.

According to Fernando Tavares, the deal was fully on track, but ultimately fell through because Benfica took too long to send the contract documentation. The 31-year-old right winger has earned 70 caps for Australia and built a notable career with clubs such as Everton, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Tottenham, eventually signing for Eintracht Frankfurt.

“Although an agreement had been reached, the Benfica SAD staff only sent the contract after two weeks. Faced with the delay, the player lost confidence in the process and ultimately pulled out of the deal and signed for Eintracht Frankfurt. The player was with me in Lisbon, visited Seixal and liked what she saw. In signings of this kind, it is crucial to complete the process at the right time. Delays can prove fatal.

In the same post, Fernando Tavares also addressed the signing of Salomé Prat, describing her as the alternative after negotiations with Hayley Raso collapsed. The former executive recalled that Benfica ended up signing the French winger from Torreense, but lamented the way the player was managed.

“Torreense remained firm on the payment of the release clause, set at 50 thousand euros. The issue was never the signing of the player. The problem was her limited use and subsequent loan move. A player who is signed should be integrated, valued and developed, not quickly cast aside".

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