Valencia captain Garay linked to Benfica return

Valencia captain Ezequiel Garay is out of contract at the Mestalla this summer and could return to former club Benfica on a free transfer.

The Argentine central defender looks set to walk out on Los Che and Diario AS cite a report from Portuguese outlet Correio da Manha that Benfica president Luis Felipe Vieria has opened talks.

There has been a seemingly irreversible fallout between the Valencia captain and the club, with claims and counterclaims in relation to whether or not he was offered a new and renewed contract this year.

The Portuguese champions want a long-term replacement for Jardel, who is now aged 34, while the future of young star Ruben Dias is also unclear with a host of clubs said to hold an interest in his signature.

Garay himself will celebrate his 34th birthday in September but it looks increasingly likely that he has played his last match for the Spanish club, for whom he has made 114 appearances since his 2016 switch from Zenit Saint Petersburg.

The defender – who also played for Newell’s Old Boys, Racing Santander and Real Madrid – spent three seasons at the Lisbon giants between 2011 and 2014, making 135 outings.

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