Chelsea have added another young prodigy to their ranks this summer, after the club confirmed the acquisition of Portuguese winger Diego Moreira from Benfica. Moreira isn’t yet a household name for most in Europe, so what is there to know about the Blues’ new 18-year-old talent?
Todd Boehly and Chelsea have put a major emphasis on acquiring and retaining young talent this summer. The club are currently in talks with Levi Colwill over a new long-term deal, and have already confirmed the arrival of 18-year-old Alex Matos from Norwich.
Further signings include 16-year-old Ecuadorian international Kendry Paez and 18-year-old Dujuan Richards from Jamaica’s Phoenix Academy.
And now, the Blues have announced the arrival of a fourth talented youngster in the form of Diego Moreira from Benfica.
Diego Moreira has completed a move to Chelsea from Benfica. ✍️
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 1, 2023
Who Is Diego Moreira?
Born in Liege, Belgium, on 6 August 2004, where his Guinea-Bissau international father Almami Moreira was based playing football for Standard Liege, Diego came through the academy ranks of his father’s former club.
Moreira had a connection to Standard Liege on his mother’s side too, as he is the grandson of Helmut Graf, a former German-footballer who also played for the Belgian side.
The 18-year-old is a dual citizen of both Belgium and Portugal, and is also eligible to play for Guinea-Bissau and Germany.
His first taste of international football came for his country of birth, turning out for the Belgian Under-15 side, before changing his allegiances to Portugal, where he is currently away with the Under-21 side at the U21 European Championship.
Due to personal reasons, Moreira left Liege in 2019, and attempted to join fellow Belgian side Lierse Kempenzonen, however the Football Federation blocked his move, which eventually saw him sign for Benfica in August 2020.
What Position Is Diego Moreira?
Moreira is a left-footed winger, who, like many wide players nowadays, is comfortable playing on either side, providing a versatile option for Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea.
The youngster has been described as a fast, explosive and technically gifted footballer, most notably excelling in dribbling past his opponent.
His style of play has drawn comparisons to ex-Portugal international and former Manchester United winger Nani.
Has Diego Moreira Played For Benfica?
Moreira has appeared for Benfica’s first-team on two occasions, making his debut under Nelson Verissimo on 13 May 2022, in a 2-0 win against Pacos de Ferreira in the Primeira Liga.
The winger also came on from the bench in Benfica’s UEFA Champions League third-qualifying round tie against FC Midtjylland, where they won 3-1 earlier last season.
He has mostly shone for Benfica’s B team in the second tier, as well as their Under-19 side in the UEFA Youth League.
This season, the 18-year-old turned out for the B team 24 times in Liga Portugal 2, scoring three goals, as well as assisting twice.
Moreira really made a name for himself with the Portuguese giants back in 2021/22 in their UEFA Youth League winning campaign, though.
Featuring in all 10 matches on their road to the title, Moreira had his hand in nine goals, scoring four, and assisting five. This included two assists in the final, as they battered Red Bull Salzburg 6-0.
Diego Moreira’s all-time stats in the UEFA Youth League:
☑️15 games
⚽️5 goals
🅰️6 assists
📊directly involved in a goal every 110 minutesThe future of Benfica and Portuguese football. 🦅🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/zxwiMvGv1P
— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) October 11, 2022
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