Benfica's most expensive record signings of all time [ranked]

SL Benfica have been a dominant force in Portuguese football since their founding in 1904.

The Lisbon-based club has gone on to win the Primeira Liga more times than any other side, and have won the European Championships twice.

But it's their transfer strategy in recent times that has fuelled their success. Whilst Benfica, Sporting, and Porto battle it out to develop young homegrown talent in Portugal, it's been the transfer battlefields of South America where titles have been won or lost.

Benfica in recent years have attracted some of South and Central America's best talents to the shores of Portugal, and they have become an intermediary between young Latin American wonderkids and the elite European football clubs.

The model has become unstable of late, with teams such as Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Barcelona now cutting out such intermediary clubs, and signing talent direct from the source.

This summer could prove to be pivotal in showing fans where Benfica's future lies in the transfer market, so we use this time to take a look back at Benfica's top club record signings, ranking the most expensive transfers in their 120-year history.

SL Benfica's top club-record signings throughout its history:

10. Pedrinho

Position: Right Winger

Nationality: Brazil

From: Sport Club Corinthians Paulista (Brazil)

Season: 20/21

Transfer Fee: €18 million

Pedrinho, known for his electrifying pace and dribbling skills, arrived at Benfica from Corinthians in Brazil. Pedrinho only spent a season at Benfica playing in Liga Portugal, making 19 appearances. But the Brazillian's time at the Estádio de Luz was disappointing, with the young winger failing to register an assist or a goal during his time in Lisbon. When Shakhtar Donetsk came in with an offer of €18 million, SL Benfica jumped at the chance to offload the player who has also failed to deliver in the Ukraine Premier League.

9. Marcos Leonardo

Position: Centre-Forward

Nationality: Brazil

From: Santos FC (Brazil)

Season: 23/24

Transfer Fee: €18 million

Another talented Brazillian to join SL Benfica is Marcos Leonardo, who joined the Lisbon-based club Santos FC for €18 million. With his eye for goal and movement off the ball, Marcos Leonardo has impressed in his first season in the Primeira Liga. The former Santos player has scored 7 times in 14 games in the league this season for Benfica, and has already been linked with moves away due to his potential.

8. Raúl de Tomás

Position: Centre-Forward

Nationality: Spain, Dominican Republic

From: Real Madrid (Spain)

Season: 19/20

Transfer Fee: €20 million

Raúl de Tomás made the switch to Benfica from Real Madrid for €20 million. Having honed his skills at one of Europe's top clubs, and after three successful loan spells including Rayo Vallecano, Benfica believed that they were signing their future striker for years to come. However Raúl de Tomás, who is also known as R.D.T, only scored 3 goals in 13 appearances for Benfica, including no goals in the Primeira Liga. With reports of the player unhappy at Benfica after struggling to adapt to the club, Benfica accepted a €20 million fee from Espanyol where he would go on to become a phenomenal goalscorer.

7. Arthur Cabral

Position: Centre-Forward

Nationality: Brazil

From: ACF Fiorentina (Italy)

Season: 23/24

Transfer Fee: €20 million

Arthur Cabral, a prolific Brazilian striker, joined Benfica from ACF Fiorentina. With his clinical finishing and ability to find space in the box, Cabral joined the Lisbon-based club to lead the line and provide a consistent goal threat for Benfica. Cabral has featured 26 times for Roger Schmidt's side, only scoring 6 times in the 23/24 season. Whilst the verdict is still out on Cabral's time at Benfica, he has been a focal point for a side aiming to constantly attack its opposition.

6. Julian Weigl

Position: Defensive Midfield

Nationality: Germany

From: Borussia Dortmund (Germany)

Season: 19/20

Transfer Fee: €20 million

Defensive midfielder Julian Weigl arrived at Benfica from Borussia Dortmund, with his vast experience in top European competitions and ability to dictate play from deep. Weigl excelled in Benfica's midfield for two seasons, before reports emerged of the player being homesick and ready for a return to Germany. In 2022 Weigl moved back to the Bundesliga, to Borussia Mönchengladbach, initially on loan. The move was then made permanent in the summer of 2023 for €7 million.

5. Everton

Position: Left Winger

Nationality: Brazil

From: Grêmio (Brazil)

Season: 20/21

Transfer Fee: €20 million

Everton, the skilful Brazilian winger, transferred to Benfica from Grêmio. Known for his pace, dribbling ability, and eye for goal, Everton aimed to be a key creative force on the left flank for Benfica. With only 10 goals in 59 appearances, Everton was offloaded by Benfica to Brazillian side Flamengo.

4. Raúl Jiménez

Position: Centre-Forward

Nationality: Mexico

From: Atlético Madrid (Spain)

Season: 15/16

Transfer Fee: €22 million

Raúl Jiménez has never really been an out-and-out goalscorer, despite playing as a striker. His skillset has always lied in linking up play, and being a distraction for defenders. The Mexican international, Raúl Jiménez, joined Benfica from Atlético Madrid in 2015 for a reported €22 million. With concerns over his goal-scoring ability, and with his contract running down, Benfica cashed in while the Mexican's stock was at its highest. Newly-promoted side Wolverhampton Wanderers under the managerial guidance of former Porto and Rio Ave head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, loaned Jiménez from Benfica for an initial fee of €3 million, with a €38 million option to buy. Wolves exercised that option in 2019 giving them a significant profit on the Mexico international.

3. Orkun Kökçü

Position: Central Midfield

Nationality: Türkiye, Netherlands

From: Feyenoord Rotterdam (Netherlands)

Season: 23/24

Transfer Fee: €25 million

Orkun Kökçü is a versatile midfielder of Turkish-Dutch descent, who joined Benfica from Feyenoord Rotterdam. With his technical skills and vision in midfield, Kökçü aimed to orchestrate Benfica's play and contribute to their success in domestic and European competitions. But with Benfica's Rafa Silva proving undroppable, Kökçü has struggled to integrate into Benfica's first team under Roger Schmidt. As such, the Turkish midfielder could soon be sold on sooner than expected, like so many of Benfica's top transfers of all time.

2. Darwin Núñez

Position: Centre-Forward

Nationality: Uruguay

From: UD Almería (Spain)

Season: 20/21

Transfer Fee: €34 million

Darwin Núñez moved to Benfica from UD Almería for a staggering €34 million fee. Núñez's aerial prowess, physicality, and goal-scoring ability made him a formidable presence at the Estadio da Luz. The Uruguayan international attracted interest from the Premier League after scoring 32 times in two seasons in the Primeira Liga, and 6 goals in the UEFA Champions League. Núñez was sold to Liverpool in June 2022 for an initial €75 million fee plus €25 million in add-ons.

1. Enzo Fernández

Position: Central Midfield

Nationality: Argentina

From: CA River Plate (Argentina)

Season: 22/23

Transfer Fee: €44.25 million

World Cup-winning Enzo Fernández transferred to Benfica from River Plate for a club-record signing of €44.25 million. Fernández's technical ability, passing range, and tenacity in defensive midfield made him a valuable addition to Benfica's squad. The Argentine was already being scouted by many of Europe's elite clubs, before his stock rose dramatically during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The Argentinian international was a pivotal presence in La Scaloneta's World Cup triumph, which encouraged Chelsea under their new American ownership to go all-out and sign the midfielder in January 2023 for a staggering €125 million deal.

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