Benfica's Jota, David Tavares and Tomas Tavares drop to the B team as search for new club goes on

For so long, Benfica president Luis Filipe Vieira has suggested that the club’s academy is the future of Benfica - but today, that suggestion seems to have undergone a significant u-turn as three of Benfica’s most promising youngsters are demoted to the club’s B team.

Benfica’s highly rated winger Joao Filipe, commonly known as Jota, alongside talented midfielder David Tavares and right back Tomas Tavares have been put into the Benfica B team as their futures at the club look in further doubt.

Both Jota and David Tavares have been fully expected to be loaned out this window, but with no concrete proposals for the players, they remain on the books of Benfica, where their game time is expected to be non-existent after a summer of huge investment at the club.

With the likes of Everton Cebolinha, Pedrinho, Luca Waldschmidt and Darwin Nunez added to an already stacked squad, room for attacking-minded players such as Jota and David Tavares is not feasible, and both remain firmly in the shop window.

Meanwhile, the signing of Gilberto has added further cover at right back, which makes it very difficult to envisage Tomas Tavares, who played almost every minute of Benfica’s Champions League campaign last season, getting any sort of regular game time this campaign.

21-year old Jota has for a long time been seen as one of the best players to ever emerge from Benfica’s acclaimed academy, but is a player Benfica have been willing to allow to leave on loan throughout the summer, with plenty of competition in the side expected to completely block Jota’s chances of securing regular game time.

His development has taken a huge hit, given very sparse game time throughout his time at the club, typically only making the occasional cameo appearances for the club, which has played a major role in Jota not progressing as much as anticipated.

Nottingham Forest were widely considered a potential destination for Jota, though English reports went on to indicate that the English Championship club had no interest in signing the Portugal U21 international. Other English clubs, as well as Spanish clubs, are also thought to be weighing up a move for the skilful forward.

It therefore remains to be seen where Jota will be playing for the upcoming season - though the signs suggest that it will be away from Benfica as he looks to continue his development.

David Tavares - who was another name that was closely linked to Nottingham Forest and who, alongside Jota, was also left out of Benfica’s recent Champions League squad - is also expected to be loaned out this window, while it is unclear as to whether Benfica are looking to loan or sell Tomas Tavares.