Over the years, Benfica Lisbon has managed to brand itself as one of the biggest talent hotspots in European football. When she recorded another successful exit, of Darwin Nunez to Liverpool at a total cost of 100 million euros, it was time to recall the 10 biggest deals of the Portuguese luxury club.
10. Angel Di Maria – Real Madrid, 33 million euros (2010) – After a failed debut season in Florentino Perez’s second Galacticos project, Real Madrid appointed Jose Mourinho as coach, adding with him some promising youngsters such as Mesut Ozil, Sami Hadira and also Di Maria. Ups and downs, but no one will forget him in 2013/14 in which he was a partner in winning the Champions League, and was even selected as the outstanding player in the final held at the Benfica Stadium of Light. After leaving, he slammed the door on Manchester United for 75 million euros.
9. Renato Sanchez – Bayern Munich, 35 million euros (2016) – At just 18 years old, after a breakout season that ended in a historic win with Portugal’s Euro team, Bayern Munich opened their wallets and signed what was then considered one of the most promising talents in the world. But the Portuguese talent collapsed below expectations, and after three unsuccessful years and one loan to Swansea, the midfielder was sold in 2019 to the night he began to live up to expectations and even won the championship with it last season.
8. Victor Lindloff – Manchester United, 35 million euros (2017) – As with any team he coached, Mourinho also sought to strengthen the Red Devils’ defense, and the club’s management complied with his request and signed the Swedish stopper who was highly regarded during his time in Lisbon. Five years later, Lindloff may still be at United and making 139 appearances in the media, but it’s hard to say he lived up to expectations.
7. Nelson Samado – Barcelona, 36 million euros (2017) – After a season in which it was difficult to find a worthy successor to Danny Alves, the Catalans added Samado who is considered one of the most promising defenders in world football. But like many players Barça added in those years, Samado also turned out to be a disappointment and moved after three years to the Portuguese colony in Wolves for 32 million euros.
6. Raoul Jimenez – Wolves, 38 million euros (2019) – Who came to Benfica in 2015 from Atletico Madrid, as the most valuable acquisition in the history of the Portuguese league (20 million euros), was loaned to Wolves in 2018 and after a successful debut season with 13 Premier League goals, moved regularly in the summer of 2019 and became their outstanding attacking player with 27 more goals In the three seasons that followed.
5. Axel Witsel – Zenith, 40 million euros (2012) – Only one season in Lisbon was enough for the Russian team to realize the release clause of the Belgian national team’s back contact. He spent most of his career away from the spotlight with five years in Russia and another season in China, and for the past four years he has played for Borussia Dortmund which he left this summer.
4. Ederson – Manchester City, 40 million euros (2017) – At the end of a season that ended in third place, with a bad ability between the posts of Claudio Bravo and Willie Cbajero, Pep Guardiola got tired and the Citizens acquired Benfica’s promising goalkeeper, and he became the second most expensive goalkeeper of all time. After winning two championships in Portugal, in the Premier League he has become one of the best goalkeepers in the world and a senior partner in the fact that four of the last five championships in England have been painted azure.
3. Ruben Diaz – Manchester City, 68 million euros (2020) – Directly following the previous name on the list, City lost the championship to Jürgen Klopp’s wonderful Liverpool in 2020, also because they themselves suffered many injuries in the back. Therefore, she then added the one who is considered one of the best brakes in the Portuguese league, who also won the League of Nations with his team. Diaz joined Manchester from the first minute and became Guardiola’s defensive leader, and in his two seasons with the team it won the Champions League twice and reached the Champions League final.
2. Darwin Nunez – Liverpool, 100 million euros (2022) – Just last year the Uruguayan arrived from Almeria for € 24 million, shattering Raul Jimenez’s league record. 41 appearances and 34 goals after that, he is on his way to becoming Benfica’s second-largest sale. In the face of the weakening of Roberto Firmino and the imminent departure of Sadio Mane, will Nunez be able to fit in as Klopp’s new 9?
1. Joao Felix – Atletico Madrid, 127 million euros (2019) – This is not only the biggest exit in the history of Benfica, but also a player who became at just 19 years old the fourth most expensive transfer in the history of the industry. Since then, Felix has not always lived up to expectations and has not always managed Diego Simeone’s defensive style, but was nonetheless a partner in the 2020/21 championship and was named the Colchoneros’ outstanding player this season with 10 goals and 6 assists. At 22, the Portuguese diamond seems to have quite a bit more potential to realize.
