It was just weeks ago that S.L. Benfica released a statement via its official club website denying rumors of there being “interest in the acquisition” of players such as former Paris Saint-Germain forward Edinson Cavani. Benfica added that club president Luis Felipe Vieira had not been involved in contract talks with Cavani and that it would wait until the conclusion of the season to jump-start transfer talks with any player.
Now, the tone from Benfica has taken a complete U-turn.
Manager Jorge Jesus recently gave an interview to Benfica TV (via Record) and spoke about a variety of topics involving the club. He was asked about Cavani, and the Copa Libertadores-winning manager not only was open in his thoughts but alluded to back such a blockbuster deal.
“Cavani is another story,” Jorge Jesus stated. “He doesn’t need me to call, he is a player who must have several possibilities in the market and must be thinking about options. When we arrived, I didn’t ask him. If you ask me if I want to? Who doesn’t? Not only for Benfica, but also for Portuguese football.”
The Benfica manager even went as far as saying that the club president is “doing everything to make that [signing Cavani] happen.”
With Cavani’s status as a free agent, Benfica would only have to come to terms on a yearly salary contract agreement with the forward rather than also paying a transfer fee to the owned club.
Cavani could be just the signing who can help Benfica win yet another Primeira Liga title.
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