Benfica transfer talk: Eagles target Carlos Martins

Ricardo Rocha willing to return to Estadio da Luz

New Benfica boss Quique Flores has made former Sporting midfielder Carlos Martins a top target to boost his midfield options next season.

Former centre-back Ricardo Rocha, currently out of the picture at Tottenham Hotspur, is also rumoured to be a possible reinforcement for the Eagles.

Martins came through the ranks at rivals Sporting and left Lisbon only last summer to join Spanish club Recreativo de Huelva. The fiery midfielder has impressed in La Liga, even earning a recall to the national team although he missed out on selection to the Euro 2008 squad.

The 26-year-old has a 15m euro buyout clause in his contract, with Sporting to receive 40% of any transfer fee, but it is believed Recreativo are willing to substantially lower that price.

Benfica’s Director of Football, Rui Costa, is known to be a big fan of his compatriot. With Costa hanging up his boots and doubts surrounding the future of Cristian Rodriguez, Martins has been pencilled in to add creativity to the midfield sector.

A spokesman for the Andalusia club, Oscar Arias, yesterday admitted, “We are willing to speak to Benfica to negotiate a price below the buyout clause. However, up until now we haven’t been contacted by Benfica.”

Rocha to return?

Another player who could be returning to Portugal after a brief absence is former Benfica defender Ricardo Rocha.

The central defender moved to Tottenham Hotspur in January 2007, but has made little impact at the Premiership club. Speaking to Portuguese radio station TSF, Rocha said he would be pleased to return to the Estadio da Luz.

“Benfica are the club of my heart. They always were and they always will be. That’s were I learned to be a man and to be a player.

“I won titles and it gave me the chance to move to the best championship in the world. I owe a lot to Benfica and if one day I have the chance to return I would view the option as a great possibility,” said Rocha.

With first-choice centre-back Luisao regularly stating he would like to leave the Lisbon club to take on a new challenge and David Luiz yet to fully recover from a serious foot injury, Rocha may well come into the equation for the 2008/09 squad.