"According to a recent report from A Bola, Jose Mourinho has personally stepped in after learning of FC Barcelona's interest in Nicolas Otamendi. The Portuguese coach has urged Benfica to move quickly and secure the Argentine defender's future with a contract renewal. The report suggests that Mourinho and Benfica president Rui Costa are fully aligned on the issue. Both believe that Otamendi remains far too important to lose, especially to a direct European rival like Barcelona."
"Barcelona's interest did not emerge out of nowhere. In recent days, it became known that following Andreas Christensen's injury, Barça have been carefully studying the market for short-term and medium-term defensive solutions. Rather than chasing a long list of names, the club has focused on players who could offer immediate reliability and leadership. In that context, Otamendi quickly stood out as a realistic and attractive option."
"Despite being in the later stages of his career, Otamendi remains a central figure at Benfica. He is under contract until 2026, wears the captain's armband, and continues to feature regularly at the heart of the defence. Age has not diminished his value in the eyes of the coaching staff. On the contrary, Otamendi's consistency this season has earned repeated praise from Mourinho several times this season."
Jose Mourinho has urged Benfica to quickly renew Nicolas Otamendi's contract to prevent a move to Barcelona, with Benfica president Rui Costa aligned. Benfica plan to offer a new deal to keep Otamendi, viewing him as too important to lose to a direct European rival. Barcelona began searching for defensive cover after Andreas Christensen's injury and targeted experienced leaders offering immediate reliability, identifying Otamendi as a realistic option. Otamendi is under contract until 2026, serves as captain, plays regularly, is settled with his family in Lisbon, and aims to continue at a top level with the next World Cup in mind.
Read at Barca Universal
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]