Olympiacos Enter Race Alongside Benfica for Promising Colombian Midfielder

Olympiacos and SL Benfica are set for a transfer battle to secure Real Racing Santander midfielder Gustavo Puerta this summer. 

According to a report by Portuguese CNN via Sport24.gr, SL Benfica are looking to replace Richard Rios and have identified Spanish side Racing Santander's Gustavo Puerta as a potential signing. The As Águias are not the only club in the prowl for the Colombian international, as Olympiacos also have expressed a strong interest in acquiring his services. 

The 23-year-old has a release clause in his contract with Real Racing Club set at around €16-17.5 million. Any club can unlock direct negotiations with the player's entourage on personal terms if they match the price in the clause. 

Puerta featured in 33 appearances for the Cantabria-based side in the Spanish Segunda Division last season, netting thrice, while bossing the midfield to help the club get promoted to LaLiga for this term. 

Neither Benfica nor Olympiacos have made any official contact with Racing Santander for the player's transfer. However, they are unlikely to negotiate on a lower price than the one set by the release clause. 

Born in La Victoria, Colombia, Puerta began his youth career playing for Talentos Gustavo Victoria Deportes. He joined the Categoría Primera B side Bogotá in 2021 as part of his first professional contract. Later, he was transferred to Bayer Leverkusen and was immediately loaned out to fellow German outfit Nürnberg FC. Puerta won the 2023-24 edition of the Bundesliga with Leverkusen, along with that year's DFB Pokal. Following a loan spell at Hull City, he joined Racing de Santander on a four-year contract last summer. 

The Red and Whites from Greece have also eyed a potential transfer of Spartak Moscow and Costa Rican forward Manfred Ugalde, as per an earlier report on Roundtable. The Russian top-flight club are asking for a reduced transfer fee in the region of €12-€15 million, after setting a preliminary price of €20 million last season. Olympiacos striker Mehdi Taremi has been in talks with CSKA Moscow for a possible signing this summer, and the Greek Super League side is preparing a replacement in Ugalde. 

More reports are expected to emerge in the coming days as the transfer window progresses to the end of this month. We will keep this space updated if any latest news arrives regarding Gustavo Puerta and Manfred Ugalde. Both deals as of now are in the primary stages with negligible contacts between the clubs.