Chiquinho rejoins Benfica

Benfica have re-signed Portuguese attacking midfielder Chiquinho.

The 23-year old was widely expected to return to Benfica this summer after a sensational season with Moreirense, and has signed with Benfica until 2024.

Last campaign, Chiquinho featured in 38 matches across all competition, scoring 10 and assisting 4 as he helped Moreirense obtain an impressive 6th place finish in the league.

Chiquinho had an unusual summer at the start of last season, with the midfielder being owned by four different clubs in the space of just six months.

In the 2017-18 campaign, he was loaned out to Academica, who played in Portugal's second tier, from Croatian outfit NK Lokomotiva.

He suitably impressed and Academica decided to make his loan permanent for 150,000 euros in January. Just six months later though, Benfica signed him on a long term contract from Academica for 600,000 euros, an impressive move for the Portuguese midfielder

However, that wasn't the end of it. Despite signing a 5-year contact with Benfica, in that very same month, he then moved to Moreirense as part of an exchange deal that saw Alfa Semedo go in the opposite direction, and he again signed a 5-year contact, this time with Moreirense. Benfica maintained 50% of his economic rights, but lost their man just a month after signing him.

Moving again in the summer seems fitting for a player that has been changing club frequently, with Chiquinho having already been on the books of six different clubs in his relatively short career.

Style of play and form

How does Chiquinho play? For starters, like so many Portuguese playmaker, he loves a good dribble, able to charge towards the opposition defence and is happy to use his quick feet to take them on, before either having a shot or giving the ball to one of his teammates. He's inventive when necessary, using any means necessary to try and get past the defender.

He's a terrific passer too, whether it's from deep or further up the pitch. Here's able to thread the ball through to play in a teammate, or play a long-range pass to pick someone out. His vision is indisputable. With that, he's also happy to hold onto the ball with his back to goal when necessary, linking up well with players around him, while he also often drops deeper to receive the ball to take control of the game and ping it out to others.

And, while neither being the biggest nor the heaviest, you have to give him credit for often showing good strength to keep hold of the ball - and tenacity to win it back.

He doesn't shy away from the big games either; one can recall, for example, his beautiful goal against Benfica back in November, when he curled the ball into the inside side netting from the edge of the box which ultimately kick-started Moreirense's revival and ability to turn the game around to beat Benfica 3-1 at the Luz.