FC Bayern has reportedly been keeping an eye on Gianluca Prestianni for months. The Benfica player recently made headlines for his performance on the field, but previously also due to a UEFA investigation.
In its search for potential reinforcements for the offense, one lead for FC Bayern apparently points to Benfica. According to information from the Portuguese sports newspaper Record, the Munich club has been closely monitoring Gianluca Prestianni’s development for several months now.
On the show “Record na Hora,” Record editor-in-chief Pedro Sousa named the 20-year-old as a player Bayern has been monitoring for some time. While reports have recently focused primarily on Oskar Pietuszewski of FC Porto as a potential candidate, attention is now turning to another attacking player who plays in Portugal.
The Argentine prefers to play on the right wing but can also be deployed on the left and in attacking midfield. He has been under contract with Benfica since January 2024, and his contract runs through the summer of 2029. The Transfermarkt website estimates his market value at 40 million euros. This is not a confirmed transfer fee.
On the field, Prestianni is currently making a strong case for himself. He has started all eleven league games so far this season, scoring seven goals and providing four assists. In the Europa League as well, he has tallied two goals and two assists in four appearances.
Prestianni was at the center of a scandal
However, the Argentine national team player also made headlines in February for reasons unrelated to his performance. During the Champions League match between Benfica and Real Madrid, Vinícius Júnior accused him of making racist remarks. The Brazilian reported the incident to the referee, and the match was suspended for about ten minutes. Prestianni denied the accusation of racism.
In April, UEFA imposed a six-game suspension for homophobic remarks. Three of the games were suspended for two years, subject to probation. The second leg against Real Madrid—which Prestianni had already missed due to a provisional suspension—counted toward the portion of the suspension that had to be served immediately. A distinction must be made between the racism allegation and the subsequent penalty imposed for homophobic remarks.
For Bayern, the search for additional offensive options remains a priority. Alternatives have been particularly lacking behind Luis Díaz on the left wing recently. When asked about possible winter transfers, sporting director Max Eberl pointed to the players expected to return.
According to the latest report, Prestianni is among the players whose development the Munich club is monitoring.