How Benfica have made €200 million in player sales alone in the last decade

Once a European powerhouse Benfica has now fallen to the level of being just a talent producer
Once a European powerhouse Benfica has now fallen to the level of being just a talent producer

#2 Axel Witsel - £32m

Axel Witsel spent only a single season with the Portuguese club.
Axel Witsel spent only a single season with the Portuguese club.

The Borussia Dortmund midfield metronome was once a part of the Portuguese giant. The Belgian joined Benfica from the Belgian powerhouses Standard Liege.

Axel Witsel spent 5 years with his boyhood club in Belgium before making the move to Portugal to join Benfica for a reported fee of €9 million on a 5-year contract with a buyout clause of £32 million. The Belgian spent just one season with the Portuguese club before Zenit Saint Petersburg paid the buyout clause to snatch the Belgian midfielder.

In his only season with the Benfica, Axel Witsel made 49 appearances and scored 5 times for the club and won the Taca da Liga.


#3 Victor Lindelof - £30m

Victor Lindelof spend 4 seasons with the Portuguese giants
Victor Lindelof spend 4 seasons with the Portuguese giants

From being labelled the worst signing to being the most improved player in the team, Victor Lindelof has had a tough start to his Manchester United career. The Swedish international though earned his name during his time with Benfica.

Like Ederson, Lindelof joined Benfica at a very early age from his native club Vasteras SK for a very cheap price of €100,000. The Swedish international made his way through the Benfica B side before making his debut for the first team squad.

Victor Lindelof found it difficult to break into the Benfica first team at first before eventually becoming a first-team player in his second last season with the club. The Swedish international made 73 appearances and scored 2 times for the Portuguese club, winning 3 Primeira Liga, 2 Taca de Portugal, 1 Taca da Liga, and 1 Supertaca Candido de Oliveira during his time.

Victor Lindelof made the move to Manchester United in 2017 for a reported fee of £30 million

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Edited by Aaditya Narayan
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