Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly bracing themselves for a fight to retain the services of Nelson Semedo.
Since arriving from Barcelona in a deal that was said to be in the region of £36.5m, the right-back has arguably provided valuable for money.
As well as contributing three goals and nine assists, Semedo has made 167 appearances since his move in 2020.
Such has been the 31-year-old's impact that he was selected to replace Mario Lemina as captain earlier this season and has since remained in the role under Vitor Pereira.
However, Semedo has entered the final six months of his contract and it is questionable whether a renewal will materialise in due course.
Which club is targeting Semedo?
According to SIC Noticias, Benfica have expressed an interest in signing Semedo on a free transfer.
The Portugal international is no stranger to Estadio da Luz having made 64 appearances for the club prior to his transfer to Barcelona in 2017.
Furthermore, former Wolves boss Bruno Lage is in charge of Benfica, something that may strengthen their effort to acquire his signature.
As per Express & Star journalist Liam Keen, there is only a "slim" chance of Semedo remaining at Molineux past the end of the season.
Would an exit suit all parties?
At this point, everything is largely dependent on what Semedo wants to do having spent almost five years in the West Midlands.
He continues to play a key role at right wing-back and possessing the captain's armband shows his influence behind the scenes.
On the flip side, Semedo is one of Wolves' biggest earners and 18-year-old Pedro Lima was signed with the view of being his eventual successor.
With Wolves fighting for Premier League survival, it is plausible that Semedo may wait until the end of the campaign to make his decision. body check tags ::
