Richard Rios: Benfica hand Man United golden opportunity to land long-term target
Manchester United are plotting a midfield rebuild this summer.The need to replace Casemiro and move on exit-linked Manuel Ugarte, with quality central midfielders, sits at the heart of those plans.Con...
Richard Rios: Benfica hand Man United golden opportunity to land long-term target Manchester United are plotting a midfield rebuild this summer. The need to replace Casemiro and move on exit-linked Manuel Ugarte , with quality central midfielders, sits at the heart of those plans. Consequently, with those transfer ambitions well established, it is little surprise the 20-time English champions find themselves linked with some of the finest midfielders in the game.
Richard Rios One such midfielder is Benfica’s Richard Rios . Indeed, Rios has long been tracked by the Red Devils. Ever since his Palmeiras days, his name has been constantly linked with a move to Old Trafford, and it was always easy to see why.
His unyielding work ethic, relentless stamina, and fierce competitive spirit have clearly caught the eye of Manchester United’s scouts. After all, Rios is a warrior on the pitch; he plays with enormous passion, constantly covering long distances, rarely giving up on 50/50s, and all the while pressing aggressively and winning the ball back from the opposition. Back then, in summer 2025, after a brilliant Club World Cup, many expected United to swoop and bring him to Europe themselves, but that never materialised.
Instead, it was Benfica who ultimately won the race. He endured a slow start in Portugal , yet gradually found his feet and has since emerged as one of their more reliable performers, playing a key role in keeping Jose Mourinho’s side unbeaten in the league. Nevertheless, despite his contributions that has seen Mourinho even dub him a “great player”, the Primeira Liga side are now tempted to cash in as they look to fund their own rebuild.