Will Manchester United Transfer Bust Bebe Fail at Benfica?

Reduced to being a punchline, former Manchester United transfer bust Bebe's bid to make a Diego Forlan-like comeback has stalled at new club Benfica. 

Bebe is now referred by his first name, Tiago, perhaps a symbolic change to mark life post-United. 

Nation	Position	Age	Height	Weight
Portugal	CF/LF/RF	24	6'3"	165 lbs

Credit: Screen capture via BTV.

Listening to the oohs and aahs from the crowd, glancing at the frenetic shutter clicks and observing the pandemonium from the technical areas, Tiago pensively watches on from the bench. 

Tiago is just another pair of eyes locked in on Anderson Talisca, 20, a 6'2" Brazilian left-footed deep-lying forward, who is a budding superstar for Benfica. 

Signed from Bahia, one of Freddy Adu's stops on his globe-trotting journeyman career, Talisca is set to emulate the swift rise of former Bahia footballer Dani Alves.

How would former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson analyse Talisca? 

"Strikes the ball with venom," Ferguson would probably say. "On the big pitch his concept of team play needs work. But with feet like his, he is capable of scoring 20 goals a season."

That was Ferguson explaining in his autobiography how United viewed Bebe Tiago.

Last season, Tiago was the centre of attention on loan at Pacos de Ferreira.

Cameramen scurried to get the perfect action shot of him celebrating goals as he enthralled Pacos' supporters with his power, while opposing managers barked at their players to tackle Tiago.

A first-time instep volleyed goal against Sporting Braga was impressive, but was it a one-hit wonder? 

No, because against Arouca, Tiago back-heeled the ball over his head and scored on the half-volley.

It was a strike worthy of being included in KSI's top five goals of the week. 

Turning Sporting Lisbon left-back Jefferson inside out and lashing the ball past goalkeeper Rui Patricio was the type of goal Tiago may have scored when United were scouting him. 

If Ferguson's reaction to Tiago's goals for Pacos were filmed, the former United manager probably would have exclaimed: "Football, bloody hell."

It alleviated concerns Ferguson had when an inquest into the transfer was carried out in 2012, per David Conn at The Guardian: "Now the deal, in which Bebe's [Tiago's] just-appointed agent, Jorge Mendes, was paid €3.6/£2.89 million from the €9/£7.2 million fee, is subject to a criminal investigation in Portugal by the judicial police's national unit for combating corruption." 

Tiago dominating for Pacos scoring a career-best 12 goals in the Portuguese Primeira Liga puts to rest murmurs of him being a footballing Milli Vanilli.

Flashing world-class form last season, United were able to sell Tiago to Benfica for €3/£2.4 million.

• What United thought: We somehow recouped 33.3 percent of the transfer fee.
• What Tiago thought: I'm going to star for Benfica.
• What Benfica thought: Luxury substitute to warm the bench. 

Adu was also a noteworthy squad player at Benfica.

"No one's place is guaranteed. You have to come to work every day, and that's what makes you a better player—constant competition," Adu said, per Jack Bell at The New York Times. "Hopefully I'll get in the starting 11 sooner rather than later."

Becoming a regular starter never happened for Adu at Benfica and a myriad of other clubs, which led to him being a team-mate of Talisca at Bahia.

Tiago can match Talisca, according to Benfica manager Jorge Jesus.

"Tiago never experienced youth development. He was introduced to football late and he lost a lot of time in England," Jesus said, per Record (h/t David Kent at the Daily Mail). "Tiago's development will be equal to Talisca, [Nemanja] Matic and Andre Gomes. They were all late bloomers."

If Jesus believes what he says, why is Tiago, who has yet to play a single minute in league play, getting the Wilfried Zaha treatment?

Tiago is clinging on to false hope, like Adu was.

"It was never going to happen when you make such a big jump from MLS [Major League Soccer] to Benfica," Adu said, per Leander Schaerlaeckens at ESPN. "I wish I would have just been in a place where I had a home."

Adu did have a home: D.C. United.

Tiago: Pacos de Ferreira.

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