TugaScout is an English-language site reporting on matters associated with Portuguese football by freelance writer Alex Goncalves, offering the latest news, reviews and opinions surrounding the Portuguese League and the Seleção players based abroad.

The concerningly low release clause of João Filipe

João Filipe, also known as Jota, has starred for Portugal at youth level, leading his country to U17 and U19 European Championship titles - yet he is yet to make any significant impact at Benfica.

The incredibly gifted winger has constantly dazzled for the national team though, his flair and trickery a constant threat to the opposition.

Still only 19 years of age, Filipe is most certainly one of the stars of the future, not just domestically, not just for the national team, but in all of world football.

It's not so much a question of if he will leave Benfica, but, quite depressingly for fans of the Lisbon giants, when.

The sad truth of the matter is that Filipe's years at Benfica are most certainly numbered. Having seen so much talent leave the Estadio da Luz well before they reach their peak level, Filipe will simply be the latest in a long line to outgrow the Portuguese league and want to test himself amongst the very best in Europe.

Indeed, more often than not, he looked streets ahead of the rest of his competitors in the U19 Euros, in a league of his own as he performed at a level well beyond what his years would suggest, bagging 5 goals and 4 assists in just 5 appearances.

Tenacious, determined, skilful, quick, technically-gifted, an eye for goal - he quite literally does, with minimal exaggeration, have it all, and will likely one day, in the not-too-distant future, become a household name to football fans all across Europe as his stock and reputation inevitably rise together in perfect harmony in the coming seasons as his career at club level is taken to an entirely different level.

So why, therefore, has he not yet played significantly for the senior Benfica team? One plausible suggestion for why could be due to the fact that Jota has a surprisingly low release clause - and, potentially, those in the management positions at Benfica are concerned at the prospect of seeing the youngster impress giants from across the continent before that figure is increased.

This could certainly be a factor in the thinking, even if not the primary absence for him being overlooked. In any case, his release clause currently stands at just 30 million euros - offering outstanding value for money for any club from abroad willing to splash a bit of cash for a future star.

Benfica are, unsurprisingly, desperate to tie Jota down to a longer contract - with a release clause over double that which it currently is.

What the future holds, though, is unclear.

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