Lisandro López saga drags on

In what's been a saga as drawn out as Beowulf, we should be learning this week whether Benfica centerback Lisandro López will be swapping Lisbon for Florence. First tapped for a move away from the Águias at the beginning of the season, the flirtation between club and player dragged on through the ensuing months. There have been, however, a series of hitches on Benfica's end, and now there's a chance that the deal falls through at the last minute.

It all started so well for Fiorentina. López joined Benfica from Arsenal de Sarandí, where he racked up over 100 appearances before he turned 23. Following a big money move to Portugal in 2013, he found things a bit tough to adjust to and was loaned to Getafe for a year, where he impressed. Since then, though, he's been unable to break into the starting lineup, which has, unsurprisingly, frustrated a player with international aspirations (and 4 Argentina caps) who should be entering the prime of his career.

Hence the ceaseless rumors linking him to Florence, it seems. Every rumormonger and reporting agency claimed it was just a matter of letting the window open. Heck, Fiorentina officials and the defender's father agreed that a move would be mutually beneficial. Then Benfica captain and first-choice centerback Luisão suffered a long-term knee injury, thrusting López into the starting XI; the Lisbon club pumped the brakes on the player leaving, and now here we are.

As things stand, nobody seems to know what's coming next. For example, reports emerged that Benfica was trying to renew his contract on the same day that the usually reliable Alfredo Pedullà stated he thought a deal would get done. The number quoted most often for the defender is €7 million, although West Ham have also recently expressed interest in him and could try to hijack things, which is just the twist that this already torturous tale needs.