Benfica Has 3 Super Talents. Who Is the World's Best Academy Preparing for Sale?

Benfica leads the ranking of the top 100 clubs with the most profitable academies in the world. Over the past ten years, the Lisbon-based club has earned €516 million from the transfers of players who spent at least three seasons in the academy between the ages of 15 and 21, thanks to the transfers of João Félix and Ederson. However, in the current Benfica squad, there are candidates for a quick departure for a substantial sum.

João Neves

Neves is one of the two representatives from Benfica nominated for the Golden Boy 2023. In a year, the talented 19-year-old midfielder has progressed from the U-19 team to the Benfica first team and received a call-up to the senior national team. His transfer value has increased from €500,000 to €45 million, with a release clause set at €120 million for the player who impresses in the league.

António Silva

The 20-year-old center-back, also nominated for the Golden Boy, has earned his recognition. In the 2022/23 season, Silva played 3982 minutes for Benfica in all competitions and became only the fifth outfield player under 19 to start in 10+ matches in a single UEFA Champions League campaign. António's value has risen by €30 million in a year, estimated at €45 million. However, Benfica is likely to demand at least a hundred million.

Gonçalo Moreira

The 18-year-old winger from Benfica is the top scorer of the 2022/23 Portuguese Youth Championship (U-17) with 26 goals in 31 games. In the current season, Moreira, who can play on both flanks, has been promoted to Benfica's U-23 squad, where he scored twice in the last four matches.

Published by Patrick Jane
25.01.2024