There may well have been an actual, real, update on Victor Lindelof to Manchester United. Swedish newspaper Expressen are reporting Benfica have come to some kind of agreement with Lindelof’s previous club Vasteras, which means the defender is now free to move to Manchester United.
Vasteras had been due 20% of a transfer fee as part of the deal which saw Lindelof go to Benfica in the first place, but the Portuguese club have been trying every trick in the book to get out of having to pay that.
Vasteras, credit to them, have stood firm and whilst they were willing to negotiate, and accept less, they weren’t willing to be walked all over.
Expressen say according to information provided to them, Benfica are settling the dispute after pressure to do so from Manchester United, which would see the Premier League club come out of the mess looking respectable.
The Swedish club’s chairman Bengt-Ake Nilsson has given some quotes, not going as far as to confirm a done deal, but explaining good talks have taken place, and saying it’s possible a push from Manchester United has been the turning point.
Of course, it’s been reported Manchester United dropped their interest, and with this barrier seemingly out of the way, there doesn’t appear much more in the way of a deal if Jose Mourinho wants to complete it.
Aftonbladet are reporting similar and they quote Bengt-Ake Nilsson saying in December: “Benfica is one of Europe’s biggest clubs and we come from a small area in the Nordic region. They think we’ll fold as soon as they raise their voices. And this is the way they have treated us all the time – like rubbish. But I can guarantee that we will not budge. We will allow Fifa to take on our case and we assume that we will get it right in the end.”
If this all does end up with Lindelof going to Manchester United and Vasteras getting their money, then well done to Bengt-Ake Nilsson, Vasteras, and those at Old Trafford who put the pressure on Benfica.
