Florentino Luis made his breakthrough in the 2018-19 season (Getty Images)
According to ESPN (h/t Daily Mail), Manchester United are keen on signing Benfica youngster Florentino Luis in the summer.
Luis, 19, flourished through the ranks of Benfica’s youth system and made a breakthrough in the 2018-19 season. He won the Portuguese league title in his first year with the senior team and was also a part of Portugal U-17 and U-19 team which won the European Championship in 2016 and 2018 respectively.
The teenager is one of the best upcoming talents and is highly regarded in his country. His impressive performances have also attracted interest from Championship side Leeds United, as per the report. Given his recent form and rise to the top, Manchester United should strike a deal for Florentino as early as possible.
The Red Devils have managed to bring a change in their fortunes. After starting the season on a poor note, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men have performed well in the second half of the campaign. Though they crashed out of the EFL Cup, United are still in contention for the Europa League and the FA Cup titles.
However, with the pandemic causing financial issues for several clubs, it would be wise of United to sign young and in-form players for the future. They need to improve their squad in certain areas and the manager should make sure they are well equipped for further campaigns.
One key area the manager should focus on strengthening is the midfield. United have a plethora of attack-minded midfielders in their ranks. However, they have only one natural defensive midfielder in Nemanja Matic.
The Serbian, though he has made a comeback in recent months, has been inconsistent. And the fact that he is already 31 and has just one more year left on his contract should convince the Red Devils to bring in a defensive midfield reinforcement to bolster their ranks.
In that regard, signing Florentino from Benfica would be helpful to the squad. He is just 19 and has a lot of room for development and under the guidance of Solskjaer, he could develop into a first-team material. He has already made 69 senior appearances for Benfica despite his tender age.
It is clear that United lack depth in the defensive midfield position. And with Matic’s contract coming to an end next summer, it is a must for them to reinforce the squad. And Florentino could provide them with the much-needed depth in the squad. Thus, they should lure the Portuguese youngster to Old Trafford in the summer.
