RUI COSTA comments to the Central-Midfielder from Chelsea. The Portuguese former professional footballer who is the 34th president of sports club S.L. Benfica.


 He also succeeded Luís Filipe Vieira as president of the club's SAD board of directors. He says: “I proposed to Chelsea that he stay until the summer for a lower sale price. The player, even so, did not want to continue at Benfica. And this is where everything changed.”  “I had the hope that Enzo would want to fight for the championship title with us. When I realized that he didn't want to, I also didn't want him to wear the Benfica shirt again” "Everything was done so it wouldn't happen. I'm sad to have lost the player, but I'm a clear conscience that I've done the best for Benfica. Enzo showed no desire to stay at Benfica." "We feared that someone would hit the clause. We tried to captivate the player to get a pay rise, but Enzo's offer of Chelsea was unfeasible for us." "A player who, even with the possibility of not losing a euro and with a secure Chelsea contract, does not want to continue, could never stay at Benfica. This player could no longer enter the locker room.” "From the moment Enzo realized he had the value of the clause, it was uncompromising. We insisted, but the player did not even show openness to continue at Benfica."