Sunderland have confirmed the signing of teenage forward Luis Semedo - known as 'Hemir' - from Benfica as Tony Mowbray looks to add another promising talent to his squad at the Stadium of Light.
The 19-year-old joins for an undisclosed fee and has put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the Black Cats, with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman delighted to get a deal for the in-demand forward over the line.
“Hemir is very talented young player who’s motivated to develop and progress," he told the club's website. "It was not an easy decision for him to leave a Club where he has been since 8 years of age, and equally it was not an easy acquisition for us considering the level of interest in him. He will complement our existing options in the final third and he possesses some great physical and technical attributes, so we are really happy he’s chosen to continue his career with SAFC.”
The 19-year-old did not play for Benfica's first-team but came through the club's academy to net eight goals in 23 appearances for their B side during the 2022-23 campaign and is a Portugal under-20 international.
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Hemir himself cited the club's willingness to trust young talent as a reason for him making the move.
“This is a big move for me and I am very excited to be here. sunderland-afc>Sunderland AFC have a lot of young players playing an important part in the team and I think this will be really good for my personal development. I’m excited to meet my new team mates, see the stadium and experience the fans,” he said.
Hemir was also linked to Brighton & Hove Albion this summer and joins the club alongside fellow teenager Jobe Bellingham, who sealed a his move from Birmingham City last week.
