Gustavo Varela's transfer to Italian side Monza has caused internal unrest at Benfica after the club failed to negotiate an affordable buy-back option.
Several board members do not understand why the Portuguese club did not protect an opportunity to re-sign the forward, according to a report by Portuguese outlet Mais Sport.
Discontent inside the Lisbon club has grown as Varela has climbed to the top of the scoring charts in Serie A. His scoring form in Italy also earned him a call-up to the national team under manager Jesus.
Buy-back clause controversy
Benfica allowed Varela to leave for Monza at the beginning of the season without securing a clause that would allow them to bring him back for an accessible fee. Reporters Antonio M. Pereira and Filipe Antonio Ferreira reported for Mais Sport that the omission has caused widespread frustration among club officials.
Buy-back clauses are routine in European football when major clubs agree to sell academy graduates. The agreements establish a fixed price at which the selling team can repurchase a player, ensuring they do not lose control of young talent who develop rapidly elsewhere.
Without that protection, Benfica hold no contractual advantage if they want to bring Varela back to Lisbon. Any future attempt to re-sign the forward would require the club to negotiate on the open market at Monza's valuation.
Striker form in Italy
Monza compete in Serie A, the highest division in Italian football, where Varela currently leads the competition as top goalscorer. His performances in the Italian top flight also brought him into the national squad under Jesus.
Benfica, based at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon and known in Portugal as the Eagles, are renowned for developing young players through their youth academy. The decision to part with Varela without safeguarding a buy-back option continues to draw criticism from officials inside the club.
