Over recent years, a number of high-profile Benfica players have made the move away from the Estádio da luz having established a big reputation in the Portuguese capital, seeking to take a step up in their careers. Ederson, Nélson Semedo, Raúl Jiménez and João Felix are just a few examples over the last few seasons.
With the Primeira Liga set to restart in one week’s time, it could be the perfect time for Rúben Dias to put himself in the shop window and become the latest big-money transfer exiting the Lisbon club.
Vieira’s promise
President Luís Filipe Vieira insists he intends to build a team capable of challenging for European glory, but the evidence suggests otherwise, with the club constantly selling their best players. Despite their dominance in Portugal, which has seen them win a total of 37 league titles, Benfica, as a club, have turned into something of a stepping stone for their up-and-coming talents.
It would be no surprise if Bruno Lage’s team are unable to retain Dias for much longer, even though they’re often the favourites in the sports betting at Space Casino and other sites to win the Portuguese title at the start of every season.
Attributes to reach the very top
At the time of writing, the 23-year-old defender has spent the last 12 years of his career at Benfica, working his way through the club’s academy. Since breaking into the first team back in 2017, Dias has gone on to make 124 appearances for the Portuguese giants. During that time, the Amadora-born player has found the net on 11 appearances, which, for a defender, is an impressive record, showcasing his goal-scoring prowess.
So impressive has his progress been, that Dias is now one of the first names on the team-sheet selected by Portugal coach Fernando Santos, and has 17 caps to his name.
Moreover, as per Transfermarkt, Dias also boasts a reliable disciplinary record, being shown a red card only once during his time with Benfica’s senior squad, which come as a surprise given his aggressive style of play.
Catching the eye of European giants
Alongside Ferro, the left-footed central defender has established himself as one of the best in the world in his position, according to Vieira. Problematically, however, for the 2018-19 Portuguese champions, this has resulted in their latest world-class talent attracting plenty of interest from financially-powerful European clubs.
Although Benfica will be hopeful of retaining one of their key players for as long as possible, given the nature of the transfer market in recent times, they may be able to command a world-record fee for a defender if they were to part ways with Dias.
In November 2019, the Eagles were able to tie the 23-year-old down to a new deal that would keep him at the club until 2024. However, perhaps most importantly, Benfica also negotiated the inclusion of a €100 million release clause. Crucially, this guarantees Benfica an element of security regarding their in-demand defender, especially with reports suggesting that both Barcelona and Manchester City are chasing the 23-year-old.
A new era on the horizon?
At the time of writing, there is nothing to suggest that Dias isn’t happy to stay at Benfica for the long-term, meaning that a move away from the 37-time league winners may not be imminent. However, that doesn’t mean that he won’t continue to peak the interests of clubs who may seek to activate his release clause.
Moreover, if the 23-year-old has aspirations of winning the Champions League, for example, then he may, at some point, have to consider his options. Either he leaves, or persuades Vieira to make good on his promise of building a competitive team that gives Benfica a chance of ushering in a new era harking back to the days when the team was among the strongest in Europe.
