Portuguese newspaper O Jogo are treating Victor Lindelof to Manchester United as pretty much done. It follows on from various Portuguese reports on Tuesday claiming a deal had been agreed between Manchester United and Benfica for the January transfer of the player.
Swedish defender Lindelof is set to receive a life changing contract at Manchester United, claim O Jogo. They say he’s getting a five year contract at Old Trafford and will be paid €3.5m per season after tax.
In comparison it’s stated Lindelof currently gets €200k from Benfica, which will mean he’s getting a 1650% pay rise should O Jogo be right and his Manchester United move be a sure thing.
Getting huge fees for players who are paid relatively modest wages is a regular theme in Portuguese football, where it’s not unheard of to slap a €30m+ release clause on a footballer earning less than €150K a year.
O Jogo talk about Lindelof and the deal almost in past tense, such is their insistence it’s a sure thing. Benfica will be making a huge profit, having paid around €100k for the player at the end of 2011, but face a demand for 20% from the player’s former club Vasteras.
The transfer is stated as being worth €45m, bonus included. That’s of course higher than the player’s €30m release clause, which obviously doesn’t seem to make a great deal sense.
For further information on that it’s worth reading our explanation of the situation.
Victor Lindelof and Manchester United. What’s going on? #MUFC https://t.co/xLDfvhU4VK pic.twitter.com/XWCObx9uum
— Sport Witness (@Sport_Witness) December 19, 2016
On their front page O Jogo say ‘Lindelof says goodbye to the Luz’, and that’s a reference to Benfica’s match tonight against Rio Ave at the Estadio da Luz. Lindelof will, if the Portuguese newspaper are correct, be saying goodbye to the club and its fans.
Yes, of course, we’ll be keeping an eye on the match to see if there’s any images of the Swedish defender tearfully waving to Benfica’s fans whilst swinging a Manchester United scarf around his head.
