€15 million is not enough? Benfica shuts its door in the face of Al-Ittihad

Saudi club Al-Ittihad are pushing on in the summer transfer market to strengthen their midfield before the window closes, hunting players who can bring fresh solutions in the months ahead.

To that end, Al-Ittihad have knocked on the door of Portugal's Benfica to ask about signing midfielder Leandro Barreiro, according to a report from Portuguese newspaper "Record" on Monday.

The report went on: "The Saudi club was prepared to pay 15 million euros for the Luxembourg international, who was a key player at the start of this season. It remains to be seen whether (Al-Ittihad) will try again".

There is history here. Al-Ittihad head coach Jens Wissing once served as an assistant to former Benfica boss Roger Schmidt, the man who brought Barreiro to the Portuguese club.

Record concluded: "Al-Ittihad's head coach Jens Wissing wants to sign the Benfica midfielder, but the (Portuguese) club's board of directors, led by Rui Costa, will not make his departure easy".

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