Benfica retain preferential rights over Varela after Monza double

Benfica retained preferential rights over Gustavo Varela as part of his transfer to Monza, while the Portuguese forward made his mark in Serie A on Monday. Varela’s brace helped Monza beat Cagliari 4-0 on Monday; he now has eight goals from seven outings in Serie A and the Coppa Italia.

Monza signed Varela from Benfica for an initial €2 million, with a further €1.5 million potentially available in bonuses. The move does not rule out the Portuguese club having a say if another team shows interest: Benfica could be able to match an offer, subject to the terms of the agreement.

That provision does not mean Benfica can automatically bring the player back for a fee set in advance. Monza would remain in control of his registration, while Benfica would have a preferential position if an outside bid triggered the matching mechanism. The existence of those rights has been reported as part of the transfer agreement; any activation would depend on an offer meeting its conditions.

The clause could become more relevant as early as the January transfer window if Varela maintains his current scoring rate. His double against Cagliari adds to an impressive start to the campaign and strengthens his reputation as one of Monza’s most productive attacking players. His goals are also helping the club make an impact after returning to the top flight of Italian football.

The league picture remains more modest: Monza sit 14th in Serie A with 7 points after 7 matches. Their league record is 2 wins, 1 draw and 4 defeats, with 13 goals scored and 15 conceded. Across their last five Serie A games, they have 2 wins, 1 draw and 2 defeats.

If a bid triggered the preferential right, Benfica could have an opportunity to compete for Varela again. That does not mean a return to Portugal is currently being pursued. For Monza, the immediate priority is to keep benefiting from the forward’s performances, while Benfica may have protected its interests when agreeing the sale.