Benfica has already formally moved towards signing Stije Resink, but was met with a first negative response from Groningen, who are not available to negotiate the departure of the Dutch midfielder in this winter market, according to the newspaper Dagblad van het Noorden.
The regional publication, which revealed the interest first-hand, states that the Luz club has already contacted the Groningen club directly, receiving in response that there is, for now, no opening to talk about a transfer at this stage of the season.
Benfica is willing to reach a fixed 7 million euros, plus 3 million in goal bonuses, for the 22-year-old midfielder who has established himself as team boss, locker room captain and key player in midfield, adding 21 games, four goals and five assists this season.
Although this proposal is higher than the 6 million euros foreseen in the exit clause valid for the summer, Groningen is keeping the door closed for now, aware of the importance of Resink, who has been flagged by clubs like Ajax for the next transfer window.
Resink has already spoken out more than once about the possibility of moving to Luz, admitting that his situation has “changed” and making clear his desire to at least be able to sit at the table to listen to Benfica’s project.
In statements to Dagblad van het Noordenthe midfielder confessed that «sometimes clubs and values appear that force you to think twice» and made an appeal to Groningen to allow him to talk to a club «of Champions League level», stressing that he does not intend to force an exit, but that he sees the club-player relationship as something that «has to work both ways».
After the game with Fortuna Sittard, in which he suffered an injury to his left ankle, Resink returned to the topic, now with greater caution. «Honestly, I don’t know what will happen. I try to be as honest as possible, but I won’t go into details”, he said in the mixed zone, referring the matter to internal conversations with the club and its agent, although reaffirming the desire to be able to hear any concrete proposals that reach Groningen.
On the Dutch side, the coach had stated, before the aforementioned game, that there was no red proposal, despite the values already being public. Between Groningen’s resistance, Benfica’s ambition and the player’s considered will, the Resink dossier promises to have news in the coming days.
