Aston Villa midfielder Enzo Barrenechea has been linked with a move away from the club, and he is now close to signing for Benfica.
According to journalist Hector Gomez, the two clubs have now reached an agreement, and the Portuguese outfit will pay €15 million for the player. They will acquire 70% of the midfielder’s rights.
The player has also given the green light to move. He will now look to get his career back on track with regular football at the Portuguese club. Barrenechea would have struggled for regular game time at Aston Villa next season, and staying at the West Midlands club would have been foolish.
Enzo Barrenechea needs a fresh start
The 24-year-old needs to play regularly at this stage of his career, and Benfica could provide him with that opportunity. He has the technical attributes to play at the highest level, and he will look to establish himself as a player for the Portuguese Giants.
He was on loan at Valencia last season, and he did reasonably well for the La Liga outfit.
It will be interesting to see if he can hit the ground running in the Portuguese league. He will have plenty of opportunities to join elite clubs in future if he manages to fulfil his potential. For now, he should focus on his development and play regularly.
The player is entering the peak years of his career, and he will look to fulfil his potential in the coming seasons. There is no doubt that he is a quality player, and it remains to be seen whether Aston Villa end up regretting their decision to let him leave.
Can Aston Villa replace him?
Aston Villa are already lacking in depth in the middle of the park, and they need someone who can control the game and add technical ability in the middle. They should look to replace the Argentine midfielder once his exit is finalised.
Even though Barrenechea was not a key part of Unai Emery’s plans, they need more bodies in the middle of the park and signing a central midfielder should be a priority.
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