WITH a galloping stride and bags of energy Portuguese wonderkid Florentino Luis has earned himself the nickname ‘The Octopus’.
His performances and promise have also attracted plenty of interest from England’s leading clubs.
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Last year, Manchester City were the first Premier League club who took a fancy to the 20-year-old midfielder.
Now, it’s been reported that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made the Benfica star his No1 target as he looks to continue strengthening his midfield, following the £47million arrival of playmaker Bruno Fernandes.
Manchester United’s fierce rivals Leeds United are also said to be in the frame for the modest Futsal star.
But with a £109.7million release clause in his contract, it won’t be cheap should someone bring Luis to our shores.
‘TINO’
Known as ‘Tino’ to his close friends and family, Luis was born in Lisbon and raised in the middle class surroundings of Massama by mum Laura and dad Morris.
His love of football began with the 2006 World Cup. Portugal were drawn in the same group as Angola, where his parents are from, and naturally there was a buzz about that clash in the family household.
It sparked an interest in the beautiful game for the-then 7-year-old. But instead of playing on grass early on, he opted for the hard courts of Futsal.
A more skilled game, it helps players develop their technique and close control in a tighter space.
Luis signed up for Tercena Futsal – who were based just five minutes drive from the family home.
Playing Futsal in his formative years helped him develop the skills he’s now renowned for, including quick movement, short passing, aggression and high-stamina.
It wasn’t until two years later that Luis played football on grass, outdoors.
BENFICA CAME CALLING
After impressing for one year at Real Sport Clube, Lisbon giants Benfica came calling.
They reportedly pleaded with Luis’s parents for his signature – believing he had the potential to be a star in the future.
And they weren’t wrong as he made his way through the ranks at the brilliant Caixa Futebol Campus, where the likes of Manchester City pair Ederson and Bernardo Silva honed their talents.
In 2016, a month after he turned 17, Luis made his debut for Benfica’s reserve side.
After signing his first pro contract that included a £109.7million release clause, he was thrust into the first team at the age of 19, and within four days of a Primeira Liga debut was starring in a 2-1 defeat of Turkish giants Galatasaray in the Europa League.
It was Benfica’s first ever win away in Turkey.
He has gone on to make 12 appearances in all competitions for the club this season, although injuries have hampered his progress.
A ROMANTIC PROPOSAL
Off the field, Luis recently got engaged to his childhood sweetheart.
He began dating Bruna Guerreiro, 19, in 2016 as he began his rapid rise with The Eagles.
In February of this year, it got serious. The romantic Luis decided to pop the question in the most elaborate way.
Wanting to remember the moment, he captured it with an elaborate video by cinematographer Richardo de Almeida.
In the near eight-minute clip that boasts ‘Hollywood-style’ production, Luis and Bruna can be seen running along the beach together, hand-in-hand.
The setting then shifts to a family dinner, where dancers perform with T-shirts with letters on them.
When they’ve finished their performance, with their backs turned the letters spell out ‘Will you marry me’ in Portuguese, with Luis holding a red heart-shaped balloon towards his lover.
He asks her to pop out, and inside she finds a ring that he places on her finger.
UNITED FACE COMPETITION
As per ESPN, interest in Luis is high among Europe’s leading sides.
Real Betis, Bayer Leverkusen, and AC Milan have all reportedly asked to be kept informed about his availability.
“Florentino is one of the highest rated young defensive midfielders in Europe, so there is a lot of interest in him at the moment,” his agent revealed.
“There has been a lot of talk about Milan, but I can tell you that there is a lot of competition for his services, with clubs in England, Germany and Spain also following him closely.”
But with Benfica protecting their investment, placing a £109.7million bounty on the head of Luis, anyone wanting Luis will have to pay a substantial fee.
