Benfica's scouting system is the envy of Europe.
Within the last decade the Portuguese champions dangle got into the behavior of unearthing gems from European soccer's backwaters and selling them on for huge profits.
Add to that an academy that has produced the likes of Atletico Madrid's £113m new boy Joao Felix and Manchester City star Bernardo Silva and it's a surprise that the Lisbon club dangle no longer carried out more success in continental competition.
They dangle got, however, raked in around £500m from players sale since 2011 and a composite team of those players would take some beating.
Right here, Sportsmail runs thru an XI the celebrities that Benfica dangle held on their books...
GOALKEEPER
Ederson
There is arguably no finer instance of Benfica's shapely scouting system than the proven truth that they dangle been in a location to take up Ederson from fellow Portuguese outfit Rio Ave in 2015 for a paltry six-figure sum and promote him to Manchester City appropriate two years later for a whopping £35m. Has established himself as indubitably some of the arena's easiest keepers however entirely appropriate will get the nod sooner than one other in that category: Jan Oblak.
Ederson makes a build from Porto's Yacine Brahimi at some stage in an O Classico clash in April 2017
RIGHT BACK
Nelson Semedo
Followed the successfully-trodden direction from Benfica to Barcelona for an initial £26m in 2017 having established himself as indubitably one of Europe's easiest young paunchy backs in his season-and-a-half in the Benfica first-team. Had been picked up from Portuguese third-tier aspect Sintrense as a teenager in 2012.
Nelson Semedo playing for Benfica in Could well perhaps also 2017 (left) and for Barcelona in April this yr (appropriate)
CENTRE BACKS
Victor Lindelof
There is a clear pattern rising here. Lindelof changed into one other picked up for a modest charge from a little club prior to being offered on for elephantine money to a European huge. Lindelof took three years to assign himself as a famous-team traditional in Lisbon after his switch from Vasteras in his Swedish fatherland in 2011 however Manchester United dangle been soon and he carried out a £40m switch to Extinct Trafford in 2017.
Victor Lindelof rides the deliver of Wearing's Ezequiel Schelotto in a 2017 Lisbon derby
David Luiz
Able to the natty and the ridiculous, the Brazilian defender has been indubitably some of the faces of European and world soccer in the last decade - and it changed into at Benfica where he made his name. Luiz, now 32, made his first switch to Chelsea for £22m in January 2011 after four more and more impressive seasons at Benfica. He had moved to Portugal from Brazilian minnows Vitoria.
The inimitable David Luiz emerged at Benfica prior to having fun with two spells at Chelsea
LEFT BACK
Joao Cancelo
A appropriate advantage by replace, we crow-barred Cancelo in at left advantage to allow for him and Semedo in the identical aspect. Silent in the early piece of his profession, Cancelo has emerged as indubitably one of primarily the most easy paunchy backs in Europe along with his rampaging shows. Got here thru the Benfica academy prior to joining Valencia for £13m in 2015 after an initial mortgage.
Joao Cancelo in his Benfica days in July 2014 (left) and playing for Juventus this summer (appropriate)
DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS
Axel Witsel
Few players can dangle had a more varied profession-direction than Belgium's midfield lynchpin Witsel, who has carried out in Liege, Lisbon, St Petersburg, Tianjin and now Dortmund. He entirely spent a yr at Benfica however, as is their wont, they turned over an elephantine earnings on him when they offered him to Zenit for £35m in 2012.
Axel Witsel (left) spent appropriate a season in Lisbon however they turned in a trim earnings for his signature
Nemanja Matic
Matic is the embodiment of what Benfica can manufacture to a participant's profession. He arrived as a raw however unfulfilled talent from Chelsea in 2011 as piece of the deal that took Luiz to Stamford Bridge. He then left, advantage to Chelsea, three years later for £21m, having blossomed into indubitably one of Europe's absolute most practical preserving midfielders. The Blues successfully paid Benfica £21m to send Matic on a three-yr mortgage. Now not imperfect enterprise the least bit.
Nemanja Matic blossomed at Benfica when he moved as piece of the deal taking Luiz to Chelsea
ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS
Bernardo Silva
Silva has emerged as indubitably one of primarily the most easy attacking midfielders in Europe with Manchester City and Monaco over the previous couple of seasons, however incredibly he entirely carried out three events for Benfica having advance thru their academy. They did pocket £14m for his sale to the French aspect in 2015 though.
Bernardo Silva carried out appropriate three events for Benfica (left) however is as a key man for Man City (appropriate)
Joao Felix
If Benfica experienced the rare feeling of being immediate-modified with Bernardo's emergence, then they must be incredibly tickled with themselves for netting £113m for the sale of Joao Felix to Atletico Madrid this summer. Although, as anticipated, he becomes indubitably some of the arena's easiest players, that's a exceptional charge for a participant with appropriate 43 first-team appearances - and one who arch rivals Porto let dash for nothing.
Joao Felix no longer too prolonged in the past joined Atletico Madrid (appropriate) after a stellar season for Benfica (left)
Angel di Maria
Finishing a scarily appropriate trio in the benefit of the frontman is Argentinian winger Di Maria, who Benfica offered to Real Madrid for £32m in 2010. Benfica took a punt on him as a promising winger playing for Rosario Central in his fatherland, and fancy so many prior to and after him he aged the club as a springboard to predominant success.
Angel di Maria emerged at Benfica prior to joining Real Madrid, Manchester United and PSG
STRIKER
Luka Jovic
Real Madrid's new £53m recruit is a rare instance of Benfica lacking out on a foremost earnings for a participant, however is more proof of their potential to unearth gems from minor leagues at some stage in the arena. Jovic did not rating in four fits for Benfica having been signed from Red Superstar Belgrade in 2016, and he changed into sent out to Eintracht Frankfurt on mortgage. The Bundesliga club exercised to construct the deal permanent for appropriate £6m in April this yr prior to cashing on this summer.
Luka Jovic struggled to construct an affect in Lisbon however has appropriate joined Real Madrid for £53m
TOTAL COST: £344m
SUBSTITUTES (£146m)
Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid, £14m), Fabio Coentrao (Real Madrid, £26m), Ramires (Chelsea, £19m), Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich, £31m), Goncalo Guedes (PSG, £26m), Rodrigo (Valencia, £26m), Raul Jimenez (Wolves, £30m)
Must you belief we would scratched collectively an XI then reflect but again! Oblak, indubitably some of the arena's easiest keepers, entirely makes the bench as manufacture a bunch of top class players. The mixed sign of the bench and the XI collectively is a staggering £490m.
View Source
Post A Comment: