Benfica bring in Braga full-back

SL Benfica have strengthened their defence for the forthcoming Liga and UEFA Champions League campaigns by paying SC Braga €500,000 for the services of right-back Luís Filipe.

Four-year deal
The 28-year-old, who has signed a four-year contract at the Estádio Da Luz, will be reunited with Fernando Santos having also played under the current Benfica coach at Sporting Clube de Portugal, and is expected to challenge Nélson for a role on the right of defence. Luís Filipe started his career with A. Académica de Coimbra in 1996/97 and joined Braga for the first time in 1999/00, moving on to Sporting the following season. He rejoined Braga in summer 2005 after spells at UD Leiria and CS Marítimo and scored eight goals in his 108 Liga appearances for the club. Having finished third in Portugal in 2006/07, Benfica will enter the UEFA Champions League in the third qualifying round, the draw for which is on Friday.