Barcelona Told To Shell Out €30 Million To Sign Florentino Luis From Benfica
There has been some noise about the future of Florentino Luis lately. Reports suggest the Benfica starlet is being scouted by FC Barcelona as a potential replacement for Sergio Busquets.
A product of Benfica’s famed youth academy, Luis is coming on the back of a successful season in the Portuguese top flight. The youngster racked up over 50 competitive appearances, becoming a central figure in Benfica’s midfield unit.
The 23-year-old’s performances have not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona considering him as a potential long-term replacement for Busquets, who has joined Inter Miami.
But Barcelona may have to shell out a sizeable sum in their bid to sign Florentino this summer. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Benfica are asking for a fee of around €30 million for the services of the young midfielder.
The 23-year-old has a contract at Benfica until 2027 and has shown a lot of potential at an early age. The Portuguese giants, therefore, have no intention to offload their star player on a cut-price deal this summer.
Barcelona’s pursuit of Florentino could be further complicated due to the competition from AC Milan. The Rossoneri are in the market for a new midfielder this summer, especially after Sandro Tonali’s departure to Newcastle. They have identified Luis as the ideal solution.
With Newcastle paying a fortune for Tonali, Milan have the cash to burn and should not find much difficulty budgeting the Portuguese in their plans this summer. Barcelona, in contrast, are not even in a position to guarantee immediate registration of the 23-year-old.
With that in mind, it will be a surprise to see the Portuguese youth international heading to Camp Nou this summer. Barcelona, though, have no shortage of alternatives, having recently stepped up their pursuit of Inter Milan veteran Marcelo Brozovic.
