Premier League duo Everton and Arsenal are scouting Florentino Luis but former Benfica coach Joao Tralhao believes the Portugal u21 international would fit in at Liverpool too, speaking to Goal.
The Lisbon giants have made around £170 million by selling key players to Premier League clubs over the last six months or so. And, with Florentino Luis now attracting interest, that figure could become a round 200 sooner rather than later.
According to Goal, Arsenal have scouted the 23-year-old ball-winner. Nicknamed ‘The Octopus’ due to his telescopic limbs, Luis would help ease the burden on Arsenal’s irreplaceable-yet-injury prone midfielder enforcer, Thomas Partey.
Luis even averages more successful tackles per game (2.6) than the Ghanaian’s 2.3 (WhoScored).
Arsenal and Everton scout Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis
“He is the kind of player every coach would like to have in their squad,” Tralhao explains, likening Luis’ skillset to that of Casemiro and Claude Makelele; arguably the two best defensive midfielders in the 21st century.
“He’s an amazing boy. A hard worker, calm, professional, always prepared to listen and he is a proper team player.
“Technically speaking, it’s not easy to find a midfielder with the defensive qualities he has. I used to joke with him and say that he saw the game two seconds before everyone else. It’s amazing the amount of interceptions he makes, the way he can be in the right position all the time.”
Portuguese publication Record believe Everton watched Luis during Benfica’s 2-0 Champions League last-16 victory over Scott Parker’s Club Brugge in the Belgian capital last week. Tralhao, however, believes Luis can aim higher than a club fighting for survival at the bottom of the table.
“He has the talent and quality to play in elite teams,” the coach adds. “Remember when Real Madrid had the Galacticos? They needed someone to balance the team, and Makelele was so important. More recently, Casemiro did that job.
“Florentino has those capabilities. He’s having an amazing season. He can play anywhere, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, anywhere. He would have no problem adapting.”
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