Nelson Semedo is currently unlikely to swap Wolverhampton Wanderers for Benfica this summer after it was made clear how drastically he would need to cut his wages.
A Bola and Correio da Manhã cover the situation today across two reports and essentially pour cold water all over the idea of the defender returning to his former club.
Reports this week have linked Semedo with a return to Benfica as he gears up to become a free agent when his contract with Wolves expires in the summer.
The Portuguese side are believed to be keen on a reunion, but it was made clear that Semedo would have to take a pay cut for that to happen.
A Bola explain that it would be ‘a good part’ of his salary that would have to be left behind as his current earnings far exceed the wage cap placed on the Benfica squad.
Even use of Portugal’s ‘Return Program’, which grants tax benefits to immigrants working in the country, wouldn’t make a significant enough difference to bring the figures in line. The financial effort would have to be ‘great’, from both the defender and the club.
That’s put a spanner in the works as it’s likely that Semedo will have more attractive offers on the table when he leaves Wolves.
Correio da Manhã add to this, explaining that while there is the sentimental idea of a return, financially it makes no sense for Semedo to do it.
He currently receives €4.2m net at Wolves but Benfica’s salary cap for the entire squad is €2m, so he would essentially need to half his wages to return. The defender wants the move and so do Benfica, but the reality is that there will be other more financially rewarding offers.
Indeed, Correio say that Inter Milan are keen on him and there is always the financially lucrative Saudi Arabian market to consider as well.
