At 27 years of age, the future of Carlos Vinícius is far from clear. Having signed for Benfica in 2019 before producing a solid scoring return in his first season, it appeared that he would be a useful asset to The Eagles.
Three years later, the player is in the middle of a loan spell with PSV Eindhoven. He’s now with the fifth temporary club of his career and, at this advanced stage, he can no longer be described as ‘promising’.
What Happens Next?
The likelihood is that Carlos Vinicius will see out his loan deal at PSV. There is no reason for the Dutch club to move him on after he featured in 36 games across all competitions last season. A number of those appearances were from the substitutes’ bench, but he remains a useful member of the squad.
However, the striker’s career seems to be going backwards. In his first campaign at Benfica, Vinicius scored 24 goals in 47 matches across all competitions. That tally included 18 in 32 league games. In the season just finished, Vinícius hit the back of the net 7 times.
After his breakout season at Benfica, it came as something of a surprise when he was considered surplus to requirements at the Estadio da Luz. A loan move to Tottenham Hotspur proved a frustrating one, and while he is getting more game time in Eindhoven, Carlos Vinicius’ career is at a crossroads.
Can Vinícius boost Benfica’s title aspirations?
The target for Benfica in 2022/23 is the same as always is for the historical Portuguese club. The club aims to win Portugal’s Primeira Liga while making inroads into the Champions League. In the Bwin Liga, supporters would have been disappointed with the club’s third-place finish last time out.
The league title is the immediate priority for new head coach Roger Schmidt and his team and they will start among the favourites for the trophy. The best betting sites, as sourced by ArabianBetting, group Porto, Sporting and Benfica close together.
The goal of making a splash in the UCL will be tougher, especially as The Eagles have to negotiate the third qualifying round before they can join the competition.
Anyone wanting to follow Benfica’s progress in those markets can do so via the Arabianbetting.com website. The odds will adjust as the new season develops and any changes in pricing will be reported. Bookmaker reviews, news stories and opinion articles will appear and it’s also possible to get involved with those bets. If a sportsbook is referenced here, they will be willing to accept new customers who complete a registration form and meet eligibility criteria.
In return for that sign up, there is likely to be a welcome promotion to take advantage of. Different deposit methods can help to add the necessary funds while ongoing promotions, a choice of other sports and the ability to stake via a mobile app are among the other advantages. In summary, it’s the website to follow if you intend to bet on Portuguese football, but would Benfica’s chances of success be boosted by the return of Carlos Vinicius?
Striking Options
The future of Darwin Nuñéz is a big topic at Benfica right now. The Uruguayan international forward has been with the club since 2020 and his impressive scoring return is believed to have attracted Manchester United, amongst other teams around Europe.
While there are other, capable strikers in the current squad, if Nuñéz does depart then he will need to be replaced. Existing players such as Haris Seferovic and Roman Yaremchuk will need to step up and take greater responsibility, but an external purchase would doubtless follow.
Looking at the potential comings and goings at Benfica makes it even harder to understand why Carlos Vinícius has been left out in the cold. His scoring record at the club stands up to the majority of his teammates and it’s strange that he has not been given a chance to build on it.
The sad thing is that the player’s career is stagnating in the midst of all his loan deals. His scoring ratio at Spurs and PSV Eindhoven has dipped significantly over the last two seasons.
Surely he has something to offer a club on a permanent basis and maybe Benfica should welcome Vinicius back into the fold.
