2022/23 Season...Here We Go!

Today marks the official start of the 2022/23 season in European football.

Most importantly, today means that we can put last season's disappointments and struggles in the rearview. As much as Benfica fans enjoyed being in the spotlight during the Champions League quarterfinals, it was another year without a title - making it the second consecutive season without trophies for Benfica.

Since the 2021/22 Primeira Liga season ended in May, Rui Costa and the Benfica front office have been busy, to put it lightly.

After the signing of former PSV Eindhoven manager Roger Schmidt and staff to a 2-year deal, Rui Costa and sporting director Rui Pedro Braz have been working to ensure Schmidt has everything he needs to bring Benfica back to Primeira Liga glory. This has resulted in a series of notable arrivals and departures at the club.

So far, Schmidt's squad has seen five new signings, with rumors of several more on the way.

On the attacking side of things, 24-year old Croatian striker Petar Musa was signed from Boavista for 5 million euros and 25-year old Brazilian winger David Neres was signed from Shakhtar Donetsk on a deal connected to last year's Pedrinho sale.

On the defensive side of the ball, Benfica signed two outside backs: 26-year old Serbian left back Mihailo Ristic from French side Montpellier FC on a free, and 24-year old Danish right back Alexander Bah from Czech champions Slavia Praga for 8 million euros.

Benfica also secured the signing of 21-year old Argentinian midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who will join Benfica from River Plate for 10 million euros plus add-ons once they've been eliminated from this season's Copa Libertadores tournament. (A good omen for Benfica fans: River Plate is trailing 1-0 heading into the second leg of their Round of 16 match.)

As exciting as the new signings have been, all Benfica fans have known for several years now that a large purge was needed at the club. Personally, I've been very happy with the outgoing transfers navigated by Rui Costa and Rui Pedro Braz so far.

Darwin Núñez was the most hyped transfer for Benfica, and arguably for all of Europe, this summer after the incredible season that he had, scoring 34 goals in 41 appearances across all competitions in the 2021/22 season. Benfica sold Darwin to Liverpool FC for 80 million euros, plus an additional 20 million euros attainable by objectives.

As reported by Record Portugal, those add-ons are rumored to be the following: 5 million euros if Liverpool finishes in the Top 4 this season; 5 million euros if Darwin makes 10 appearances for the club; and 10 million euros if Darwin makes 60 appearances with the Merseyside club. Darwin's former club, Almería also owns 20% of the profits Benfica receive from the transfer. This was inevitable after the big performances Darwin had in the Champions League, where he scored six goals and broke Nuno Gomes' club record for most goals in the UEFA Champions League since the tournament's format was changed in 1992.

Aside from Darwin, Benfica parted ways with a handful of big names within the club.

Scottish champions Celtic FC decided to trigger winger Jota's 7.5 million euro buyout clause for 70% of his rights after a successful loan spell, putting his 15-year connection to Benfica as a player to an end...for now.

Brazilian side Flamengo purchased Everton 'Cebolinha' Soares in a deal potentially reaching 15 million euros that satisfied many Benfiquistas who see the 2019 Copa America Final Man of the Match as one of the biggest Benfica flops of all time.

Outside back Pedro Pereira (2.5 million euros) and academy starling Gedson Fernandes (6 million euros) also parted ways with Benfica, after their obligatory buyout clauses were triggered by Italian side Monza and Turkish side Besiktas, respectively. Midfielder Ilija Vukotic was also sold to Boavista FC, as part of the Petar Musa deal.

Be on the lookout for similar moves to be made during the rest of this summer window, as new FIFA loan rules begin during the 2022/23 season that will limit the amount of players over the age of 21 that clubs are allowed to send on loan.

Benfica also parted ways a few academy products from the B team that showed potential during their time in Seixal: winger Jair Tavares made his way to Scottish club Hibernian FC, winger Tiago Araújo was sold to Estoril Praia, and outside back Fabinho was sold to a mid-tier Belgium club, Sint-Truiden.

These moves, in addition to Roger Schmidt's youthful preseason roster, show competence between the manager and upper management. Something that should come as a relief for all Benfica fans who have witnessed deadweight mounting at the club in recent years.