Reported Leeds United and Fulham target Florentino Luis will not be leaving the Estadio da Luz this summer, Benfica’s general director Tiago Pinto has told Sky Italia, as reported by Milan News.
With one of Europe’s sleeping giants slowly stirring from their slumber, this summer feels like one of the most important in AC Milan’s modern history.
The Rossoneri picked up more points than any other team in Europe’s major leagues since football re-started post-lockdown, finishing sixth in Serie A, qualifying for the Europa League, and rewarding popular coach Stefano Pioli with a new contract.
Milan have made it their mission to bring some of the most talented youngsters in European football to San Siro and, after snapping up Rafael Leao, Ismael Bennacer and Alexis Saelemaekers, Florentino Luis had seemingly emerged as the new priority.
But, according to Pinto, the Portugal U21 international is destined to spend another season at an ambitious Benfica side who have brought in Jan Vertonghen, Everton Soares and Luca Waldschmidt in an attempt to wrestle the title back from Porto.
“Florentino is a young man with potential and quality, I believe he will stay, to play for Benfica,” he says.
“Will he go to Milan this summer? I do not think so.”
If Florentino is not heading to Italy, then we can pretty much rule out the prospect of the deep-lying midfielder swapping Lisbon for Leeds.
Tuttomercatoweb reported last month that the West Yorkshire giants have been expressing an interest in the £25 million-rated ball-winner since February, perhaps viewing Florentino as the man to ease the burden on Kalvin Phillips in Marcelo Bielsa’s engine room.
Florentino, who has been compared to Real Madrid star Casemiro, made ten tackles, five interceptions and completed 94 per cent of his passes in one Europa League game this season.
Fulham were also linked via the Mail last week.
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