Richard Rios Drifting Away From Benfica as Besiktas Leads the Race for His Signature

The bench again. Ninety more minutes watching from the sideline. Richard Rios did not even warm up during Benfica's 2-1 win over Estoril this past Monday in the fourth round of the Primeira Liga, and that image sums up pretty well where the Colombian stands with just days left before the European transfer window shuts.

Marco Silva opted for Enzo Barrenechea and Leandro Barreiro in midfield, while Vangelis Pavlidis and Clement Lenglet scored the goals in the home win (Yanis Begraoui pulled one back for the visitors). For Rios it was yet another game as a spectator: so far in the 2026-27 season he has made six appearances for just 200 minutes, with only one start. He also failed to see a single second of action in last week's Europa League playoff second leg against Aarhus.

What happened to the Colombian who was playing at the World Cup just a few months ago? Silva had already explained before the Aarhus match that Rios arrived late to preseason precisely because of his participation in the World Cup and that he is still adjusting to the group's rhythm. Adding to that is a factor that carries real weight: the arrival of Joao Palhinha raised the level of competition in Benfica's midfield, and Rios has been squeezed out as a result.

Besiktas Takes the Lead

Given that picture, it is no surprise his name is circulating heavily on the market. The club that has moved furthest is Besiktas, which has already submitted an official offer to Benfica. The information was confirmed by Sport TV and also reported by Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, who closely tracks this kind of transfer activity. The deal is not done, but the Turkish club has pulled ahead of the competition in recent hours. Vincenzo Italiano needs to reinforce his midfield and Rios is among his options.

Besiktas is not the only Turkish club interested. Galatasaray has also reached out directly to Benfica to inquire about terms, though it first needs to free up a roster spot before it can push forward seriously. For now it trails Besiktas in the race.

Hull City joined the list in the last few hours, having also made contact with Benfica over the weekend, according to Longari. Even so, all signs point to Besiktas remaining the frontrunner.

Before the Turkish clubs took center stage, other names had been floated heavily: AS Roma (which even approached the player's representatives, although a report from August 30 had already ruled him out of the club's plans), Getafe, and Bournemouth. None of the three appears as advanced today as the Istanbul side.

Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia is also on the radar, according to a report from A Bola picked up by Colombian and Portuguese outlets. Per that same report, Benfica would be willing to let him go if an offer meets its financial demands. For now that avenue is not the hottest one, with the clock ticking, Besiktas remains the club calling the shots.