Jose Mourinho moves to take player away from Barcelona

Barcelona have been very busy during the winter transfer window – in particular, in their efforts to sign young players to strengthen La Masia. As many as four deals are closed to being finalised with one week to go until the market closes, and there are hopes that a couple more could be done.

One player that Barcelona have set their sights on is Benfica right-back Daniel Banjaqui. The teenager, who helped Portugal win the U17 Euros and U17 World Cup in 2025, is considered to be one of the biggest prospects coming out of the Iberian nation, where he currently plays for Benfica.

Barcelona have already held talks with Banjaqui’s representatives, but Benfica are hoping to help him in Lisbon. In particular, head coach Jose Mourinho wants him to stay, with Sport reporting that moves having been made to ensure that the Catalans do not get their desired target.

On Sunday, Mourinho made a significant move that could lead to Banjaqui deciding to stay at Benfica, as he handed the 17-year-old his first league start in the match against Estrela de Amadora. It shows that the Portuguese giants, who host Real Madrid on Wednesday, are backing him to make an immediate impact in the first team, which could be a decisive factor when deciding where he wants to play his football.

Crucial contract decision coming up for Banjaqui

The next few months will be crucial to understanding how Banjaqui’s future will play out. He turns 18 in March, and it is expected that his decision on signing a new Benfica contract will come around this time.

Barcelona will hope he does not renew, as it would open the door for a cut-price deal to be done in the summer – given that his existing contract runs out in 2027.