Barcelona eyeing Palmeiras’ Luis Benedetti: left-footed defender attracts attention with €100 million release clause
Catalan giants monitor Palmeiras’ young talent, while planning reinforcements for the center-back position.
Barcelona has added Luis Benedetti, the 19-year-old Palmeiras defender, to their scouting radar. The Brazilian, who recently renewed his contract with Verdão until December 2029, boasts a rare profile: tall, young, and left-footed, making him highly attractive for European clubs.
“Benedetti has characteristics that are interesting: young, left-footed, and physically strong—a profile increasingly sought after in Europe,” a source close to the Blaugrana board told UOL.
Release Clause and Contract
To protect Benedetti from early poaching by European teams, Palmeiras raised his release clause to €100 million (R$640 million). The young defender has already featured in nine first-team matches this season, including two Brasileirão starts and one Copa Libertadores group stage appearance.
His career is managed by Guiliano Bertolucci, a well-connected agent in European football who maintains strong ties with Barcelona, further facilitating potential negotiations in the future.
Barcelona’s Center-Back Needs
Barcelona currently fields five central defenders—Pau Cubarsí, Ronald Araújo, Eric García, Andreas Christensen, and Jules Kundé—but none are left-footed, a gap Benedetti could fill. Following Iñigo Martínez’s departure, coach Hansi Flick has requested the board to explore reinforcements for the position ahead of the summer transfer deadline.
Sources indicate that the club is also considering:
- Murillo (Brazil, ex-Corinthians, now at Nottingham Forest)
- Gonçalo Inácio (Sporting CP)
- Lukeba (RB Leipzig)
Barcelona has until September 1st to finalize potential deals before the transfer window closes.
