Recently, several clubs from the islands have been spotted in the stands of Estadio da Luz, keeping an eye on two Benfica defenders: Spaniard Álvaro Carreras and Portuguese Tomás Araújo.
Although Benfica has had a shaky start to the season, placing them in third in the Primeira Liga, they have still managed to catch the attention of numerous Premier League scouts.
It’s not uncommon for representatives from various clubs to be present at the stadium, observing different players during each match.
Among those players generating significant interest is Álvaro Carreras.
The 21-year-old Spanish full-back joined the Lisbon team in January 2024 and has quickly become a vital part of the new coach Bruno Lage’s plans.
Manchester United, his previous club, holds a buy-back option and is already contemplating exercising it due to his impressive development.
His teammate Tomás Araújo is also attracting a lot of attention.
Competence of Álvaro Carreras and Tomás Araújo
According to O Jogo , Chelsea, Crystal Palace and, more recently, Newcastle have begun to show interest in signing this promising centre-back (22 years old) who, after a loan spell at Gil Vicente.
He has established himself as a defensive pillar of the team, having played 12 games this season.
With the growing interest in transfers, Benfica’s president and former player Rui Costa has made it clear that he will do everything possible to keep Araújo from leaving mid-season.
However, in the summer, the club may be open to negotiations that could yield significant profits.