Prestianni is safe, but Rui Costa has no hands to measure at Benfica

O Benfica is about to close the one that was one of the most urgent soap operas to watch closed. Gianluca Prestianni, who has been the great figure of Benfica this season, with a total of 12 goals and six assists in 20 games, is about to close the contract renewal with the Club of Light for two more seasons.

Information that has been revealed by the national sports press in the last few hours shows that the Argentine star will prolong the bond from June 2029 until June 2031, with a large salary increase. The Argentinean will receive EUR 5 million per month (anything like EUR 2.5 million per month).

If eagles can breathe of relief after they have closed the contractual renewal of one of the most interested players has gathered over the last few weeks, Rui Costa will not have hands to measure to manage other important dossiers.

If, on the one hand, there are decisions to be made regarding the futures of the Argentinean Claudio Echeverri, the Colombian Jhon Durán and the Moroccan Souffian El Karouani – all of them are given and with a purchasing option clause – on the other hand, there are players who are about a year and a half away from finishing a contract with the incarnates and who deserve more attention from the SAD.

Schjelderup is the most glaring case, but 2028 brings more problems

At the head of the players finishing contract in June 2028 is Norwegian Andreas Schjelderup. Great figure of the incarnated in the second half of the last era, the young Nordic has not had so much space with Marco Silva, but not for that reason his renewal of contract is no longer a priority.

Rui Costa has been very committed to this dossier. The latest information on this case showed that Andreas Schjelderup had not yet responded to the proposal submitted to him, which would increase the deadline for this link by 2031 and would amount to approximately EUR 18 million in gross wages over this period.

Otherwise, and in the last few hours, the extreme was evasive about the future in the Light. “I feel very good in Benfica and Lisbon, the club and the city. I have entrepreneurs who take care of the rest, so I can focus only on football ", shot Schjelderup in interview with VG newspaper.

Another name whose contract expires in 2028 is Samuel Soares. The current holder of the embodyed goal in the I League – Trubin has been the option in European trials – has the process very forwarded, he who does not live easy days in the Light fruit of the mistake he made in visiting the Amadora Star ground and that can cost him the title. Also the Ukrainian colleague of position has another year and a half of contract and the eagles have already submitted a proposal to renew, even though Trubin is now the ‘number 2’ in the goal.

Closing this list of players ending contract in June 2028 is Rafa Silva. Portuguese returned to Luz in January since year and until it was a regular option with Marco Silva, already taking more games than in the previous season... when about half a season is left. It's certainly another dossier on Rui Costa's desk.

Moreover, the incarnated SAD has even been very applied in the contractual renewals, since in recent weeks some of the main figures of the squad have signed new contracts. Thomas Araújo and Samuel Dahl are safe until 2031. Benfica also announced in recent days the renewal of a contract with Miguel Figueiredo, a young man that Marco Silva has already opened this season, but without revealing the duration of the bond.