After all, Benfica will not have made an offer and Richard Ríos may 'run away'

In the end, Richard Ríos may be about to leave Benfica, just as Thiago Almada, who has already been officially announced as a new player... for Atlético de Madrid , was. The Colombian international may even have played his last game for Palmeiras on Wednesday night, as he is reportedly very close to signing for Italian side Juventus.

Fabrizio Romano revealed yesterday that Benfica had made several approaches to the Brazilian club, expressing interest in signing Ríos, but never submitted a formal offer . Conversely, AS Roma recently submitted a proposal of €27 million fixed, plus €3 million for objectives, thus reaching the €30 million desired by Palmeiras' management to free one of Abel Ferreira's essential players.

Furthermore, and contrary to what has been reported in recent days , Richard Ríos intends to make the jump to Italy and wear the AS Roma jersey, having already said "yes" to the club now managed by Gian Piero Gasperini, according to information also provided by Nicolò Schira, another Italian journalist and expert on transfer market issues. The Italians are considering a five-year contract and an annual salary of €2.6 million.

🟡 AS Roma official bid sent today for Richard Rios is worth €30m package, €27m plus €3m add-ons. The Colombian midfielder wants the move, up to Palmeiras as they always requested €30m fixed fee.

Benfica made several approaches but not an official bid so far. pic.twitter.com/ovorPt8FYa

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 16, 2025

Richard #Rios is one step away to #ASRoma from #Palmeiras for €30-31M (bonuses included). Agreed personal terms for a contract until 2030 (€2.6M/year). Rios gave up 10% to facilitate the deal. #transfers https://t.co/P6Gk5ISmkZ

— Nicolò Schira (@NicoSchira) July 17, 2025

It's also worth noting that Benfica would be willing to pay 25 million to sign the 25-year-old midfielder . However, according to the latest figures, the club led by Rui Costa appears to have once again lost the race for one of this summer's top transfer targets.

The Spanish club announced it has reached an agreement with Botafogo for the transfer of Thiago Almada, beating Benfica in the race for the Argentine midfielder. Only a few details remain to be finalized before the deal is confirmed.

Miguel Simões | 8:20 PM - July 15, 2025

Farewell at home?

Richard Ríos will have played his last game wearing the Palmeiras shirt against Mirassol, in a game that ended in a draw (1-1), in the 14th round of the Brasileirão, precisely at home, at Allianz Parque, in São Paulo.

The Colombian international even participated in the play that led to Abel Ferreira's team's goal, finding Raphael Veiga in the right place to assist Facundo Torres in the 55th minute.

Desired by rivals

In addition to Benfica, FC Porto and Sporting have also been named as clubs interested in Richard Ríos, with the Dragons even making an offer worth 17 million euros , which was ultimately rejected by Palmeiras officials.

Russian club Zenit have also reportedly shown interest in the Palmeiras player, but the already completed signing of Gerson from Flamengo for €25 million should have put an end to any attempts to get hold of Ríos.

It's also worth remembering that despite being Colombian, Richard Ríos was part of Flamengo's youth academy, after having already embarked on a futsal adventure. In 2020, he made his debut for the Flamengo senior team, and in 2022, he moved to Guarani, after having been loaned to the Mexican club Mazatlán. In 2023, Abel Ferreira wanted to sign the player, and Palmeiras paid €1.38 million.

Split pass

Palmeiras' intransigence in negotiations has a reason. The 25-year-old player's economic rights are divided, with Abel's club holding only 70% of his transfer rights . Guarani holds 13.34%, Flamengo 6.66%, and Richard Ríos himself holds 10%.

Read Also: Benfica and Richard Ríos have an agreement, but the amount with Palmeiras has yet to be agreed.