Celtic and Manchester United both scout Benfica regularly and it was therefore no surprise they both had scouts watch the 1-0 victory against Estoril this weekend.
Celtic Park and Old Trafford spies weren’t content with that, and both clubs had someone at the match between Benfica B and Sporting B. This could be a more interesting trip, especially for Brendan Rodgers’ men.
Benfica and Sporting both have excellent records of finding and nurturing great talent, and in the youth ranks not everyone has release clauses which would make most club’s eyes water.
Finding a gem before he has a €60m clause slapped on him would be a brilliant piece of business, but there were no standout performers as the match finished 0-0. If Celtic and Manchester United are keen on a youth from either side then the B match between the two is a perfect opportunity, given how important the game is seen.
Whilst it would be hard for Brendan Rodgers and Celtic to recruit from Benfica’s star studded first eleven, the prospects of getting someone from the B set-up are much better.
Celtic and Manchester United are both on the official ‘espioes’ list published by A Bola, along with representatives from Arsenal, PSV, Feyenoord, Real Betis and Villarreal.
