Everton have been linked with a move for Florentino Luis, a Benfica midfielder, but what might he potentially bring to Sean Dyche’s side?
According to Sport Witness, citing Portuguese outlet Record, Everton have shown interest in Luis since January, attempting to secure a deal at the end of that transfer window. Although Everton’s director of football, Kevin Thelwell, could not finalize the move then, the club has continued to monitor the 24-year-old. However, they now face competition from Nottingham Forest for his signature.
Florentino’s playing style can be compared to several Premier League midfielders. Comparisonator’s Similarity Comparison lists Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Brighton’s Billy Gilmour as his closest matches, each with a similarity score of 74%, followed by Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at 73%. Everton had previously attempted to sign Hojbjerg under Carlo Ancelotti.
Using Comparisonator’s Virtual Transfer tool, Florentino’s statistics from this season can be measured against current Premier League players in his position. Dyche would likely be impressed by several aspects of Florentino’s work rate. His score of 243 in the A.I. Defensive Index is surpassed by only three players: Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister (292) and Wataru Endo (264), and Fulham’s Joao Palhinha (250).
Florentino excels in several defensive metrics. He averages 2.67 interceptions per 90 minutes in the opposition half, the highest in the Premier League, surpassing Hojbjerg, who leads with 2.06. Additionally, he ranks second for ball recoveries (11.41) behind Mac Allister (11.59), third for successful defensive actions (67%) behind West Ham’s James Ward-Prowse (72%) and Sheffield United’s Vini Souza (69%), and fifth for both interceptions (5.52) and ball losses in his own half (2.29). Manchester United’s Casemiro leads in interceptions (7.52), while Fulham’s Tom Cairney leads in ball losses (1.62).
Florentino’s possession comfort is also notable. In terms of distribution, only Manchester City’s Rodri (78%) surpasses his 75% accuracy for successful long passes. Florentino ranks third for successful passes in the final third (9.74) behind Rodri (12.46) and Hojbjerg (10.16), and for successful forward passes (85%), trailing Ward-Prowse (87%) and Brighton’s Pascal Gross (86%). Additionally, he ranks sixth for successful passes (62.71) and successful progressive passes (83%), with Rodri leading both categories (90.03 and 89%, respectively).
Florentino’s competitive nature is evident in his 6.76 defensive ground duels won per 90 minutes, outperforming Premier League leader Ryan Yates of Nottingham Forest, who has 6.68. With Everton prioritizing midfield reinforcements this summer and the ECHO reporting interest in Manchester City’s Kalvin Phillips on loan, Florentino presents a compelling option for Everton. However, with Benfica setting a €30 million price tag on him, his arrival at Goodison Park may depend on the potential sale of Amadou Onana.
