According to journalist Duncan Castles (via Daily Star), Manchester City are interested in the services of SL Benfica’s defensive midfielder Florentino Luis. It was earlier reported that the Sky Blues had held talks with Benfica in regards to Joao Felix’s potential switch to Etihad. But, Castles believes they might have also discussed terms about other players, including Florentino.
He said, “I think there’s a possibility that other players were discussed here because I know that Manchester City are interested in Florentino Luis”. But is he worth the outlay for Pep Guardiola’s team?
Florentino’s breakthrough at Benfica
Florentino enjoyed his breakthrough with Benfica during the second half of the 2018/19 campaign. Although he wasn’t as influential as someone like Felix, he did become a first-regular since the start of April. The 19-year-old ended the campaign with 11 appearances in the LIGA NOS, during which he scored one goal.
He was, however, a regular with Benfica B in the Ledman Pro Liga, making 21 appearances before eventually moving onto the senior side. And going forward, Florentino could appear as the ideal long-term replacement for someone like Ljubomir Fejsa or Andreas Samaris.
What can Florentino offer to the table?
Standing at 1.84m, Florentino is a strong and imposing presence in the holding midfield role. The youngster is known for his tenacity and willingness to win back possession for his team. His positional awareness helps him anticipate what the opposition is going to do next and he’s also excellent when it comes to cutting off passing lanes.
As far as passing is concerned, Florentino doesn’t have an excellent range and often sticks to just playing short passes. This is why he hardly loses possession. But, his biggest strength lies in his ability to create turnovers in midfield and initiate attacks.
Should Manchester City make a move for Florentino?
Florentino would be an excellent long-term replacement for Fernandinho. The 19-year-old has similar characteristics to the Brazilian, and given the promise he has shown at such a young age, he can be groomed into a world class player by Pep Guardiola.
However, his lack of experience in the highest level of football means he may not be ready to make the switch to Manchester City just yet. Therefore, it would perhaps be wiser for Man City to let Florentino remain in Benfica for at least a couple of seasons before attaining his services.
But, they definitely need to keep monitoring his progress at the club as the talented midfielder could well be the next big thing in Portuguese football.
