Former Benfica manager Rui Vitoria has revealed that Victor Lindelof almost missed out on a move to Manchester United because of a key decision on his future.
The Sweden international eventually moved to Old Trafford in 2017 following Jose Mourinho's first season in charge at United.
However, the 25-year-old could have ended up in the English Championship before deciding to battle in Portugal and force his way into the Benfica line up.
Vitoria said he managed to convince the centre-back to stay in Lisbon despite strong interest from a team in the Championship, despite a lack of first team football.
"Victor, one or two weeks from the close of the winter market, comes to my office and says to me and Rui Costa that he wanted to leave because he had an offer from a second-tier English league club and he wanted to go becuase he wanted to play more," Vitoria told BTV.
"I told him: 'It's very close, your door is about to open, there is only one opportunity that may arise'.
"And he agreed to stay. Then there was an injury for Luisao, another for Lisandro and when he came in he was ready.
"Today he is in England and at one of the biggest clubs in the world because he knew how to wait for his opportunity.
"Our strategy was to have two, three experienced centre-halves and a younger one: we did it with Lindelof, then with Ruben Dias and we were also going to do it with Ferro.
"And they were players who, when they came in, were ready."
After establishing himself in the Benfica first-team, Mourinho moved quickly to secure Lindelof at United, where he has become a first-choice centre-back alongside Harry Maguire this season.
