Benfica-Aax tussle for Arribas: Real Madrid looks set to pay off financially
Benfica and Ajax are vying for Sergio Arribas; With the transaction expected to be worth over €20 million, Real Madrid could make a significant profit due to the 50% financial rights.
Real Madrid's academy has faced heavy demand this summer — with Nico Paz's permanent transfer to Como exemplifying this. But another name has entered the media spotlight: Sergio Arribas, a product of La Fábrica, currently performing in full in Almería.
Arribas' record playing for Almeria since 2023 has been the most impressive — his respective stats are 44 goals and 16 assists, according to the article, while his tally of 26 goal contributions (26 goals, 7 assists) this season alone has been revealed. This performance did not go unnoticed and made Benfica interesting enough to add him to the squad.
According to AS, Benfica have already started first contacts with Arribas' representatives, and the transfer is expected to be in excess of €20 million. The Lisbon club are keen to add the Madrid-born playmaker to their squad.
But it won't be easy for Benfica to claim it alone — with Ajax also emerging as key rivals. As mentioned in the articles, the duo of Michel and Jordi Cruyff are keen on Arribas' talents, but no official contact has been made so far. A move to the Eredivisie will be his biggest test in European football, and the player is keen to continue testing his potential.
On the other hand, while Sporting Lisbon and Como have also shown interest in the past, Como's investigation ended with the return of Nico Paz. But the most important detail of Arribas' journey is that Real Madrid did not leave the situation of his sale: the Madrid firm retains 50% of the financial rights when Arribas moves to Almeria.
That means Real Madrid will get around half of any proceeds from the sale of Almeria Arribas. If the transfer is expected to be worth more than €20 million, Los Blancos are likely to receive a matching sum of around €10 million or more — a bright financial boost at a time when the club have now invested heavily in summer transfers.
