Benfica have constructed a legacy as essentially the most profitable membership in Portugal in addition to a house for younger expertise to ascertain themselves in Europe. In relation to making a revenue off participant gross sales, few golf equipment do it like SL Benfica. The Liga Portugal outfit are unimaginable at figuring out and creating soccer gamers. Up to now, it has seen a number of high-profile people come via the ranks and go on to signify elite golf equipment throughout Europe.
Certainly, Benfica have raked in over €1 billion (£840m/$1.01bn) in switch gross sales because the flip of the century. These gamers had excellent expertise and buckets of potential. The Portuguese giants nurtured that expertise and gave them a platform to succeed. Ultimately, the gamers left for larger groups for large switch charges.
Protecting that in thoughts, FootTheBall check out the costliest gross sales from Benfica.
Joao Felix to Atletico Madrid for €127m
Joao Felix stays the costliest departure from SL Benfica up to now. The striker was signed by Atletico Madrid for an eye-watering determine of €127m. He was solely 19 years outdated again then and spending a lot cash on an adolescent was a significant step by the Spanish membership.
Moreover, he’s additionally the fifth-most costly switch of all time. Issues haven’t labored out so nicely for the as soon as teenage star, who’s now plying his commerce at Chelsea on a 6-month mortgage from Atletico Madrid.
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Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea for €121m
Benfica continued their unimaginable enterprise within the 2022-23 season by following up the sale of Nunez to Liverpool by promoting Enzo Fernandez to Chelsea. The Portuguese membership solely signed Enzo six months earlier from River Plate for €18m, so this represented an unimaginable revenue.
Enzo impressed throughout his six months at Benfica and likewise shone on the World Cup as Argentina took the trophy. However €121m for the central midfielder represented sensible enterprise once more by Benfica.
How a lot would 22-year-old Messi price? 🫰#Messi #EnzoFernandez #Chelsea pic.twitter.com/zgKb8MZ5a6
— FootTheBall FC (@FootTheBallFC) February 2, 2023
Darwin Nunez to Liverpool for €80m
Darwin Nunez’s departure to Liverpool in the summertime of 2022 represented the second-biggest sale in Benfica’s historical past. The Uruguayan was prolific within the 2021-22 season, scoring 34 objectives in 41 video games – together with twice within the Champions League quarter-finals in opposition to Jurgen Klopp’s aspect.
Nunez arrived from Almeria in 2020 as Benfica’s document signing at €24m, though the 22-year-old didn’t win the league throughout his two seasons in Portugal. He has to this point struggled in his early months at Liverpool. However given time, he may flip to be the deadly striker Liverpool followers dreamed of.
Ruben Dias to Manchester Metropolis for €68m
One other participant that moved from SL Benfica to Manchester Metropolis for an enormous switch sum is Ruben Dias. The centre-back price the English giants a whopping €68.00m again in 2020. His arrival on the membership gave Pep Guardiola extra depth in defence. Dias has helped Metropolis win two Premier League titles already and stays certainly one of their most influential gamers at the moment.
Ederson to Manchester Metropolis for €40m
It’s not widespread to see a membership splash out €40m on a goalkeeper however that’s precisely what Pep Guardiola and Manchester Metropolis did in the summertime of 2017.
Guardiola thought of the agile Brazilian to be the shot-stopper greatest suited to his fashion of soccer and acted swiftly to reel him in. Apparently, Ederson had solely joined Benfica in 2015 however had established himself firmly within the first XI by the tip of 2016-17 season.
So, after an excellent marketing campaign that noticed Benfica win the Primeira Liga, Taca de Portugal and Supertaca Candido de Oliveira, Ederson was a person in demand, and his transfer to Metropolis made him the second-costliest goalkeeper ever at the moment.