Vasco interested in Benfica defender, says influencer

Argentinian Nicolás Otamendi is in advanced negotiations to strengthen Vasco for next season, according to influencer Wallace Neguere.

Argentinian world champion, the defender appears to be a major issue for the board of directors to qualify the squad. It should be noted that one of Vasco’s priorities in the market is to recruit one or two defenders. Carlos Cuesta and Robert Renan do not have reliable reserves at the moment. Lucas Oliveira is on his way to Ceará and Lucas Freitas is also expected to leave.

Otamendi to Vasco?

Nicolás Otamendi started in Vélez Sarsfield’s youth teams and has European experience, which will help Vasco achieve their main goals in 2026. He has played for Porto-POR, Valencia-ESP, Manchester City-ING and currently plays for Benfica. He is a winning athlete, with at least 22 national titles during his career.

The defender has a contract with Benfica until the middle of the year and could sign a pre-contract in the coming days. He has built a long history at the club, with 260 matches played since 2020. His transfer to Vasco is therefore considered difficult.

Vasco would not be Nicolás Otamendi’s first club in Brazil. In 2014, he played for Atlético-MG, playing only 19 matches. Today, the context would be different because the athlete is a 37-year-old veteran. Finally, Cruzmaltino’s main challenge in recruiting him is salary.