Ángel Di María put it plainly after helping Gianluca Prestianni through a rough patch at Benfica: "It's good that you listened to me. I love you, kid!". That line fits the mood around the teenager now. Benfica paid €9.5 million including intermediation services for him, signed him until 2029 with a €100 million release clause, and are now negotiating a new contract with a salary increase expected.

Benfica's patience with Prestianni

The road here was not smooth. Prestianni had been left out since September before his debut for Benfica B, and he later played the last five minutes of the 2023/2024 season finale. Benfica even considered loaning or selling him in the summer of 2025, but chose to keep him and let him develop.

José Mourinho said he was still "the age to play in the B team and go to the Youth League" and added that he is learning to defend better in a team that defends in zone, "without losing irreverence and technical quality". That sounds like the right balance for him, because the attack is already producing. He has 7 Primeira Liga appearances this season, with 5 goals, 3 assists and an 8.12 average rating.

The mentors around him

The support network around Prestianni has mattered too. In January 2025, Otamendi gave him a telling-off after spotting that he was not training or going to the gym because of a protected thumb. Prestianni later responded with warmth when he told Otamendi: "So good to see you again, old man. Thank you very much for the shirt. I like you very much," after their Buenos Aires meeting.

Marco Silva also praised his training attitude, saying he worked "from the first day in an exemplary way, in application, in attitude, in commitment to training" and that his talent only shows in matches because of that work. Since that foundation was put in place, Prestianni has scored 3 goals in his last 5 appearances, including one 9.0-rated display, and that is the part Benfica will want to keep rewarding as the contract talks continue.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →