Rumour Mongering: Liverpool Go Back to Benfica for Defensive Duo

Having established themselves as the bookies’ favourites for fourth spot and thus continued Champions League participation following the historic 7-0 drubbing of Manchester United on Sunday — we’ll take a quick break here so you can all go watch the highlights again... welcome back! — and with the squad still in need of reinforcements at key positions, Liverpool are back in the transfer rumour section with a vengeance, linked with players left and right in the past few days.

Naturally, massive statement signings such as Jude Bellingham and Josko Gvardiol — both valued north of €100m — are the headliners, but in case those players should choose to go elsewhere or the club decides that kind of cash is beyond them, despite their healthy financial situation, it is only reasonable to assume that the Reds have any number of replacements lined up as well.

Given their proclivity for shopping out of the Primeira Liga in recent seasons — both Luis Díaz and Darwin Núñez were signed straight from the Portuguese League — as well as their favourable relationship with super agent Jorge Mendes, the probability of Liverpool dipping into the Portuguese market once again is quite high.

Darwin’s former club, Benfica, were in action in the Champions League last night, demolishing Belgian upstarts 5-1, and according to reports, the Reds had scouts in attendance, just as they had when Núñez scored a brace against Barcelona back in September of 2021. While Goncalo Ramos was the standout this time around, notching a goal either side of half-time, rumours — and any reasonable analysis of squad needs — are that Liverpool were rather looking at Florentino Luís and António Silva.

While Silva is a somewhat raw but exceptionally gifted ball-playing centre-back who made his debut for the side as an 18-year old this season, Florentino has been around for a while, and is by many considered the catalyst for Enzo Fernández’s outstanding six months at the club before moving to Chelsea for circus money in January, as his ability to cover ground and spot a tackle allowed the Argentinian freedom to roam.

Both players represent high ceilings at positions of immediate or near-future need, and while no fees have been suggested yet, one would expect Benfica to be demanding without realistically getting close to the sums Dortmund and Leipzig will be expecting for their own superstars.