Starter at Fenerbahçe - Benfica, Akturkoglu kept a close eye on his future | OneFootball

New addition to the starting eleven of Benfica, in the draw against Fenerbahçe, Kerem Akturkoglu played already knowing that the deal was not yet finalized between the parties. According to the newspaper Record, the Turkish international knew since Monday that his transfer was once again on hold.

The same source reports that it was Rui Costa who put the brakes on the departure of the number 7, after José Mourinho's team failed, once again, to meet the financial demands of the Reds, who, according to reports, are asking for a fixed amount of 25 million euros, plus 2.5 million euros in variables.

The decision by Benfica's management, which allowed Bruno Lage to use the player, did not go unnoticed by José Mourinho, who, at the end of the match, made a point of praising the stance taken by the Reds: “Benfica only thought, rightly, about the sporting aspect and not the economic one.”

The Fenerbahçe coach, who is trying to sign Akturkoglu, went further and emphasized the fact that the Eagles are fully focused on qualification: “Benfica had the opportunity to sell the player for significant numbers, but gave complete priority to the sporting situation. The player wanted to play and from above, they saw the green light to let him play. They were a great club,”

In the 2024/25 season, playing for Benfica, Kerem Akturkoglu – valued at 24 million euros – appeared in 53 matches: 30 in Liga Portugal Betclic, 12 in the Champions League, four in the Portuguese Cup, four in the Club World Cup, and three in the League Cup. The Eagles' winger scored 16 goals and provided 11 assists.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.