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Bébé ends nightmare spell at Manchester United by joining Benfica Bébé ends nightmare spell at Manchester United by joining Benfica
(35 minutes later)
Bébé’s nightmare spell at Manchester United has finally come to an end after he was sold to Benfica for a reported €3m (£2.4m) fee. Bebe’s odd Manchester United career is finally over with the forward moving to Benfica on a free transfer, though the deal could be worth up to €3m in add-ons, with the club also having the rights to 50% of any sell-on fee.
United paid Vitoria de Guimaraes £7.4m for the striker in 2010, but he only started three games – all in cup competitions. The 24-year-old was bought by Sir Alex Ferguson in August 2010 for £7.4m from Vitoria de Guimaraes despite the manager admitting he had never seen him play, not even on video.
The 24-year-old, who made seven appearances in total, never looked like making it into the United first team and he was sent out on loan to Besiktas, Rio Ave and Pacos de Ferreira. The Portuguese has signed a four-year contract with Benfica following an impressive loan spell with Pacos da Ferreira last season that nearly gained him selection for the national squad at Brazil 2014.
In four years at United he made only seven appearances and scored twice and will be recalled as one of the strangest signings of Ferguson’s 26 years as manager.
On Friday, Benfica confirmed they had bought the player, releasing a statement on their website which read: “Bébé has signed an agreement with SL Benfica for four years.”On Friday, Benfica confirmed they had bought the player, releasing a statement on their website which read: “Bébé has signed an agreement with SL Benfica for four years.”
Sir Alex Ferguson famously revealed he signed Bébé without seeing him play live.Sir Alex Ferguson famously revealed he signed Bébé without seeing him play live.