Benedict returned to Curitiba on Tuesday (9) after the elimination of the Brazilian team in Copa América. O Athletic there are several interested in the goalkeeper of 25 years, who sees indefinite in the future.
The expectation is that the goalkeeper will be sold to Europe still in this window. Favorite to buy the athlete, the Inter de Milan left the business after Hurricane refused a 15 million euro bid. The Italian club decided to use the same amount to hire the Spanish Josep Martínez, who was in Genoa.
With this, polls of other European giants remained. In Portugal, Sporting has already shown interest, while Benfica have already had rejected proposals (the largest for EUR 10 million) by Athletico last year.
In England, four teams had Benedict on radar: Liverpool, ChelseaWolverhampton and Nottingham Forest. However, despite Benedict’s ‘personal dream’ of playing in Europe, the strongest harassment at the moment is in Saudi Arabia.
According to Arab vehicles, the Al-Ittihad He even made a proposal, but the negotiation got cold.. The team, which has stars like the N’Golo Kanté steering wheel and the striker Karim Benzema, elected the best player in the world in 2022, than a replacement for Marcelo Grohe.
However, the Al-Nassr, team of the star Cristiano Ronaldo, put Bento on the radar as an alternative if he failed to hire Ederson, goalkeeper of Manchester City.
The archer, who won 17 titles in the last seven seasons by the English team, is the target of an Al Nassr proposal of 60 million euros, about R$ 366 million. The bond offered is two years, with a salary of EUR 30 million (R$ 178.4 million) per year. This will make Ederson outperform German Manuel Neuer, who receives 21 million euros a year at Bayern Munich as the world's highest-paid goalkeeper.
Benedict wants to ‘continue playing’ in Europe
Going to Saudi Arabia is not Benedict's first option, which prioritizes Europe. Only the goalie doesn't want to land in Europe to be a reserve.
In June, when he turned 25, Athletico's goalkeeper said he was alert to this factor in choosing the next club.
"I will think with great affection and a lot of my future. Playing that we can achieve for the selection, I hope to go out to Europe and keep playing," he said.
However, some interested clubs see Benedict as an alternative to the future. Despite having proven international quality in the friendly selection against England and Spain, in March, the current goalkeeper of Athletico can go through a process of experience.
This is the case with Liverpool, who currently has Alisson, 31, on the starting team. Another support point would be Taffarel, who serves as a goalkeeper preparer in the English club and in the Brazilian team.
Sale of Bento must be bigger transaction of a Brazilian goalkeeper
The 25-year-old player must become the biggest Brazilian goalkeeper in history. So far, the biggest transaction has been from goalkeeper Allison. In 2016, the current player of Liverpool, and holder of the selection, was sold from International for Rome for EUR 8 million.
In other words, the proposals for Benfica and Inter de Milan, refused by Athletico, would already place Bento as the most expensive goalkeeper in Brazilian football.
Goalkeeper must perform for Athletico next weekend
Without participating in the final training of the team, held today, Bento will stay out of the game of Bahia. The duel is scheduled for Wednesday (10), at 19h, at the Ligga Arena, in Curitiba, for the 16th round of Brasileirão.
The interim coach Juca Antonello, who will make the last match in command of the team due to the arrival of Uruguayan Martín Varini, must climb Léo Linck as holder of the red-black goal.
Linck served suspension after expulsion in defeat against the Sao Paulo and stayed out of the triumph over the Victory, fora de casa, o que promoveu a estreia como titular do jovem Mycael.
Apesar disso, Bento deve retomar a titularidade na decisão da Copa do Brasil. O Athletico encara o Ypiranga-RS pela terceira fase. Após perder por 2 a 1, de virada, no jogo de ida, o Furacão precisa vencer no próximo sábado (13), às 18h, para avançar no torneio.
