Clément Lenglet reveals why he rejected Fulham before Benfica move

Clément Lenglet has completed his move to Benfica, ending a transfer saga that could have seen him join Marco Silva much earlier during the manager's spell at Fulham.

The experienced French defender was officially unveiled by the Portuguese champions this week, with reports in Portugal revealing that Silva had previously attempted to bring him to Craven Cottage. However, Lenglet opted against a switch to west London as he prioritised joining a club capable of competing for major honours.

Ironically, the 31-year-old will now work under the same manager, but in Lisbon rather than the Premier League.

According to A Bola, Silva identified Lenglet as one of his preferred defensive targets while managing Fulham.

Despite the club's efforts, the former Barcelona centre-back decided the move did not align with his ambitions at that stage of his career.

Instead, he waited for an opportunity to join a club competing regularly for domestic trophies and European football.

That opportunity arrived with Benfica, who successfully convinced the France international despite reported interest from clubs offering significantly higher financial packages.

The Portuguese newspaper also claims Lenglet rejected proposals from Saudi Arabia as well as other emerging markets before agreeing to move to Lisbon.

Lenglet arrives at Benfica with extensive experience at the highest level of European football.

During his career he has represented Sevilla, Barcelona, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Atlético Madrid, while also making 60 Champions League appearances.

His spell at Barcelona produced major silverware, including La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, with the defender making 160 appearances for the Catalan club.

The club has consistently targeted experienced players capable of strengthening the squad immediately while adding leadership to the dressing room. Lenglet fits that profile perfectly, particularly given his experience across Spain and England. However, only his performances in Portugal will determine whether the move proves successful.

Although Fulham missed out on his signature, Lenglet is already well acquainted with English football.

He spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Tottenham, making 35 appearances, before featuring 25 times for Aston Villa during the following campaign.

Interestingly, both of those seasons included victories over Marco Silva's Fulham, with Tottenham and Aston Villa each recording identical 2-1 wins against the Cottagers.

Internationally, Lenglet has earned 16 caps for France and most recently represented his country in last year's UEFA Nations League semi-final against Spain.

He also arrives at Benfica with previous experience facing the Portuguese club, having featured during Barcelona's Champions League meetings with Benfica in 2021 before later being part of Atlético Madrid's squad that suffered a 4-0 defeat in Lisbon during the 2024/25 campaign.

Lenglet will now begin preparations for his first season at Benfica as Marco Silva looks to strengthen his defensive options ahead of the new campaign. For Fulham, the story serves as another reminder of a transfer target who ultimately chose a different sporting project, despite eventually ending up playing under the same manager.

Would Clément Lenglet have improved Fulham's defence had he moved to Craven Cottage?