Unhappy Nelson blasts “insulting” Benfica contract

Cristian Rodriguez set to sign long-term deal

The never-ending saga surrounding the future of Benfica right-back Nelson has taken another turn.

The former Boavista player has told Portuguese daily A Bola that he is very unhappy with the wages he is currently earning at Benfica and feels insulted with the terms of his contract.

The Cape Verdean full-back recently renewed his contract, which will keep with the Eagles until 2011, but would like to have it renegotiated as he admits that he could have earned much more abroad. Nelson has garnered interest from other club in Europe, namely Aston Villa and Sevilla.

“It hurts me that I am the worst paid player, or even one of the five worst paid. This does not sit well with me. I have started to detach myself from the club.

“Maybe, I should not have renewed when I did, for the terms that I did. I would have been better off with the contract I already had because the terms of my contract with Benfica continue to be almost the same as when I arrived in 2005. I renewed, but for the same amounts.

“I have had proposals to leave Benfica where I was offered 1.2m euros per year. But I always gave Benfica priority. I signed my contract. No-one put a gun to my head, but then I started thinking.”

Massive wage discrepancy

“I have been with Benfica for three years, played more than 100 matches, earned international caps and felt that I was at a club when I could have been elsewhere, as they offered millions and I would have made 12 times more that what I do at Benfica.

“I have given everything to the club, I have earned a starting position and it would have been nice if they believed in me. In this situation I do not want to stay at Benfica. Why? I know that I have three more years left on my contract, but it is frustrating for me because I consider myself to have status at the club as I have played in the starting XI in the Champions League and Uefa Cup; always at the top and had the confidence of my coaches.”

Nelson’s statements are sure to anger the Benfica brass and this will not be the end of this saga. The player’s future at the Estadio da Luz could well be brought into question, with Aston Villa still thought to be very keen on the speedy full-back.

Rodriguez set to sign

In other club news and on a happier note, Benfica appear to be close to signing forward Cristian Rodriguez. The Uruguayan has been a smash hit since his arrival from Paris Saint-Germain last summer, but did not know whether he would be staying with the club once his loan deal expired.

Rodriguez’s agent, Daniel Delgado, has confessed that Benfica and his client are close to striking a deal which would see the player at the club on a long-term contract. “Negotiations are on course and I think that we are close to reaching an agreement because the player wants to stay at Benfica. For how long? Four to five years.”