Benfica have signed German defender Jan-Niklas Beste, who played for Heidenheim and has signed a five-year contract with the Reds, the Portuguese runners-up announced on their official website on Thursday.
“Jan-Niklas Beste is a Benfica boost! The German left-back, 25, arrives from Heidenheim and signs a contract until 2029,” the Reds’ official website says.
Beste, 25, will strengthen Benfica’s left flank of defence, a position in which German coach Roger Schmidt is still looking for a replacement for Spain international Alex Grimaldo, who moved to Bayer Leverkusen last season.
The German international will gain his second experience outside Germany after a short spell with Dutch club Emmen in the 2019/20 season, on loan from Werder Bremen, from where he joined Heidenheim in the 2022/23 season.
Beste has become a starter for Heidenheim in the last two seasons, scoring eight goals and providing 13 assists in the previous one as the club finished eighth in the Bundesliga and qualified for the Europa Conference League.
“I’m a defender who presses, who makes crosses and shots (…). I think I’m a very attacking defender,” Beste told BTV, admitting that he had a “very good” conversation. Together with the coach, his compatriot Roger Schmidt made the decision to join Benfica “even easier.”
“I know his mentality and I know him a little from the Bundesliga. For me, the decision to come here was very easy,” he added.
The Lisbon club only had Spaniard Alvaro Carreras at full-back, prompting Schmidt to make several signings during the previous season, most notably Brazilian centre-back Morato and Norwegian midfielder Fredrik Orsnes.