Benfica have officially signed Brazilian defender Lucas Veríssimo for a transfer fee of 6.5 million euros. It was confirmed on Monday after a back and forth between Santos and Benfica in negotiations over the player.
Lucas Veríssimo’s future was up in the air for quite some time now, and that was one of the priorities set by the new president of Santos, Andrés Rueda.
The club’s new president made it one of his tasks to get the defender’s future settled before the club resumes their outing in the Copa Libertadores on Wednesday.
However, Lucas Veríssimo will remain at Santos until their Libertadores campaign is concluded, with the finals set to be played on January 23.
Veríssimo who made his professional debut on 30 January 2016 in a home draw against São Bernardo renewed his contract till December 2019, before being demoted to fourth choice after the return of David Braz from injury and the signing of Luiz Felipe.
He only made his Serie A debut on the 14th of September 2016, coming on as a late substitute for Lucas Lima in a 1-0 away victory against Botafogo, and made his first Copa Libertadores appearance on 16th of March 2017, scoring his first professional goal on the 4th of May, after netting the winner in a 3-2 win over Independiente Santa Fe.
Lucas Veríssimo had a promising start to his life at Santos forcing his way into becoming a regular starter following the injuries of both Gustavo Henrique and Luiz Felipe.
Benfica have now decided to sign the defender and will pay 2.5 million euros in cash, before releasing the remaining 4 million euros in two instalments, to be paid in December 2021 and December 2022.
