Benfica will loan Prestianni out this season

Benfica will be looking to get winter transfer signing Gianluca Prestianni some regular playing time this season, but it will not be with the club as they look to loan the 18 year old. The club is currently assessing their options on where it would be best to place the winger, as they want to make sure Prestianni is put in the best possible position to grow.

Ajax are said to be the front runners to land Prestianni's services, but there are also a few Argentinian clubs with interest in bringing home the U17 international. Benfica acquired Prestianni from Velez Sarsfield for €9M and any loan of the player will not include a buy option. 

Benfica are hoping that a Prestianni loan will have the same results as Andreas Schjeldrup, who returned to Norwegian club Nordsjaelland last season on loan. The 20 year old scored ten goals and provided eleven assists across 38 games, his performance not only had him named the spring season player of the year but also earned him his first call up to the national side.

Benfica looking to bring Joao Felix home for cut rate price

In a shocking turn of events, Benfica is said to be in talks with Barcelona about bringing home Seixal Academy product Joao Felix. Benfica have offered Atletico Madrid €20M to obtain 50% of Felix's pass, while Atletico are open to the move if they are to receive €25M for the same ownership.

This is just five years after Benfica sold Felix to Atletico for a whopping record fee of €127.2M after his breakout performance during the 2018-19 season. Felix, who is still only 24 years old, has had moments of brilliance in his time at Atletico but has fallen out of favour at the club and spent the past season and a half on loan at Chelsea and Barcelona.

The biggest obstacle to Felix returning to his boyhood club could be the salary he currently commands, which is in excess of €4M per season after a contract restructure with Atletico last summer, but after paying Angel di Maria over €9M last season, it may not be as big of an obstacle as some will make you believe.

With Di Maria off the books this year, a return for Felix could make a lot of sense for both parties, as Benfica looks to add to their attack while Felix looks to get what was once a promising career back on track. Felix appeared in 44 games across all competitions for Barcelona last season, scoring ten goals while providing six helpers.

Felix would likely slot into the role that recently departed Rafa Silva held at the club and is also able to play either wing if required by the club. Benfica hopes to rejuvenate Felix's career and may once again get top dollar for a player who just in 2021-22, was named Atletico's player of the year by the club's supporters.

Benfica make long awaited signing official for Pavlidis

Benfica have finally announced the acquisition of AZ Alkmaar striker Vangelis Pavlidis today, acquiring the Greek international for €18M with an additional €2M in add-ons for incentives met. Benfica respected the wishes of AZ Alkmaar to not make the signing official until today, as the Dutch club wanted to move the signing to their new fiscal year budget.

Pavlidis will follow in the footsteps of other Greeks who at one time donned the famous Benfica jersey from: Giorgos Karagounis (2005-2007), Kostas Mitroglou (2015-2017), Andreas Samaris (2014-2021), Konstantinos Katsouranis (2006-2009)  and most recently, keeper Odysseas Vlachodimos (2018-2023).

Pavlidis has been with AZ Alkmaar since the summer of 2021, when he arrived from Dutch club William II. He has also spent time in Germany in his teen years with Borussia Dortmund and VFL Bochum, but never really got a chance with the main squads. The 25 year old scored 34 goals last season across all competitions for Alkmaar, while providing five helpers. and capturing the golden boot in the Eredivisie with 29 goals.

Benfica have signed Pavlidis to a five year contract with a €100M buyout clause and Alkmaar will retain 10% of the players pass on a future sale of the striker. Benfica are hoping that Pavlidis will come in and provide the club with some scoring from the striker position, something they were sorely lacking during last season's disappointing campaign.