Espanyol set to sign Benfica's second most expensive ever player
La Liga strugglers Espanyol are looking to bring in Benfica’s second most expensive ever signing as they look to end their league troubles.
Espanyol are currently managerless after Pablo Machin was sacked after just 10 matches at the helm. It came after a 2-0 loss to Leganes left them stranded bottom of the Spanish top flight, 5 points adrift of safety.
To try and change course, they are looking to bring in Benfica striker Raul de Tomas, who joined Benfica this summer for a fee of 20 million euros from Real Madrid.
He has struggled to make an impact at the Lisbon club despite his hefty price tag, his outstanding goal for Benfica in the Champions League undoubtedly his one standout moment. A move to Espanyol and back to the league he has previously thrived in could be exactly what he needs.
Other than that though, he has failed to leave an impression on Portuguese football, yet to score a single goal in the Primeira Liga, being vastly overshadowed by Benfica’s other major summer signing, Carlos Vinicius, who joined for 17 million euros and has scored 10 league goals already this season.
Espanyol, it can be remembered, are having contrasting futures in European competition compared to their domestic troubles, having topped their Europa League group ahead of Ludogorets, Ferencvaros and CSKA Moscow to advance to the knockout stages.
Despite being the seeded side, they were given a very tricky draw, having to face Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolverhampton Wanderers in February if they want to advance to the Round of 16.
