La Derecha Diario While the qualification is being played in the Club World Cup, Benfica is negotiating for Almada.
With Angel Di Maria's confirmed departure, the Portuguese team wants to sign the talented Argentine player to fill his position
Benfica is facing a key moment both in sports and management. In the immediate future, it will seek to defeat Bayern Munich to qualify for the round of 16 of the Club World Cup and eliminate Boca, but, simultaneously, the management is also actively working in the transfer market to fill the vacancy left by Ángel Di Maria.
The player who would be on the Portuguese club's radar is Thiago Almada, who is also attracting interest from two Premier League teams whose names have not yet been released.
According to the newspaper A Bola, Benfica has been following the playmaker since his time at Botafogo, a team to which he must return on June 30 after his loan at Olympique de Lyon. In Portugal, his current role in the Argentina National Team is already being highlighted as another factor that sparks interest in signing him.
The interest would be concrete and serious. Almada fits the profile of player desired by the sporting management: dribbler, creative, and with potential. According to Portuguese media, the talks are "very advanced," with the addition of a direct recommendation fromNicolás Otamendi. In addition, Rui Costa, the club's president, views the signing favorably, still recalling the successful spell of Enzo Fernández.
Nevertheless, there is a significant obstacle: the value of his transfer. The owner of Botafogo and Lyon, John Textor, set a price of 40 million euros, an amount that is difficult for Benfica to afford without a prior sale.
In this scenario, one of the options being considered is to offer players in the deal. One of the names mentioned is the young Gianluca Prestianni, who has similar characteristics. Even so, Benfica is also considering other names in case this negotiation doesn't succeed.
Almada's numbers at Lyon
After shining at Botafogo, where he was key to winning the 2024 Copa Libertadores, Thiago Almada arrived at Olympique de Lyon. In six months, he played 20 matches, scored two goals, and provided five assists.
However, his highest performance was with theArgentina National Team, where in 2025 he participated in all four World Cup Qualifying matches: he scored against Uruguay and Colombia, and assisted Julián Álvarez in the match against Chile.
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