Wolves captain Nelson Semedo could leave the club in the summer to return to Benfica.
Semedo’s Wolves future has been speculated throughout the season as the Portugal international nears the end of his Molineux contract.
The 31-year-old took captaincy from Mario Lemina earlier in the campaign however, it’s suspected that the armband will need to be passed on again very soon.
Sources understand that Semedo is likely to join Benfica as a free agent in the summer, with the defender’s former club eyeing a swoop for the fullback.
Photo by Carlos Palma/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Carlos Palma/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Nelson Semedo wants to retire at Benfica
Benfica believe Semedo would fit into their squad perfectly, being a player already vetted by manager Bruno Lage.
The defender left the Portuguese giants in 2017 to sign for Barcelona, only representing the Catalan club and Wolves aside from the Eagles in his senior career.
Former Wolves boss Lage opened up about signing Semedo at Benfica in the summer, in what now looks to be a likely transfer for the Portuguese star.
What’s interesting about a possible move for the right-back is that it’s nothing that the player himself hasn’t hinted at earlier in his career.
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Upon leaving Benfica to join Barcelona, Semedo shared his lifelong connection to the club, admitting that he’d love to retire with the Eagles.
“I follow Benfica whenever I can and I would not stop feeling Benfica just because I left. I feel the club in the same way, or even more so because now I am all the more a supporter.
“Benfica will always be my club, let’s see how things go. Now it is not possible to return, but who knows… It would be good to end at my club, in my city and with the Benfica fans.”
Now 31 and ready to leave the Premier League, a move to Benfica could be Semedo’s last transfer at the top level and, even the last of his career.
The Wolves star has always wanted to end his career at Benfica, which could now become reality as his time at Molineux seems to be heading towards its close.
Semedo loved working with Bruno Lage at Wolves
With Lage at Benfica, the stage is set for Semedo to fit in seamlessly in his homeland if he is to move on in the summer.
The transfer could become a dream scenario for the defender, who reserved high praise for the former Wolves manager in 2022.
After admitting that his first season at Molineux was below par, Semedo credited Lage for making him better, complimenting his style of football.
“This season has been way better. Bruno has brought something different to the club,” he said.
“Nuno is a great coach and person, he had great staff and I loved to work with them, but it was different. Bruno likes to play more with the ball and that makes a lot of difference not only in me, but in all of the players here. Now I’ve started to show what I’m capable of.”
In the defender’s almost five-year stay in the West Midlands, it’s ironic that he’s now playing his best football by far, giving Pereira a challenge to replace his favoured right-back.