[artigo atualizado às 23h03]
Umaro Embalo, the 21-year-old B team striker, has left Benfica.
The news was broken by businessman Catio Balde, who says he was informed by Rui Pedro Braz that the player was “no longer part of Benfica’s plans” and that he was therefore empowered to “take care of the athlete’s life”.
Catio Balde says he is “disappointed and frustrated” by the decision, which he says he cannot understand.
“Managing Benfica with Umaro Embalo is deplorable. I do not understand and do not accept how an asset that was sold to Leipzig from Germany for 20 million euros in 2016/17 in a transaction that did not go through can be depreciated, and only those who were responsible at the time can explain why “.
The businessman also recounts old talks with Southampton that fell through due to a commission requested by Cesar Boaventura, who did not represent the athlete, and ensures that “in January, Basel wanted Umaro Embalo and presented an offer to buy 50 per cent of the Pass for 3.5 million, there was a transfer agreement and suddenly Benfica backed down, saying they want the athlete to stay because they believe in him.
Fonte do Benfica assures Maisfutebol that Catio Balde was never informed of the player’s dismissal, but they were open to hearing decisions about his future.
The same source says that Basel’s offer was a loan, although he had the option of buying, and added that Umaro Embalo is in the process of changing representatives, tying this to Catio Balde’s position.
In a post on social media, César Boaventura guarantees that he was never involved in negotiations over Umaro Embalo.
