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| Semedo has been attracting attention. |
An attack-minded right-back, the defender burst onto the scene by making a sensational start to his debut season for Benfica last year, only for his progress to be curtailed by a serious knee injury he suffered on his Portugal debut.
Back to full fitness, the 23-year-old has taken his game to the next level this term, and is garnering interest from a host of clubs, including Manchester United who reportedly scouted him in Benfica's Champions League match against Napoli on Tuesday.
Here are five things you should know about Benfica's man of the moment.
1. He has enjoyed a meteoric rise and has a fearless attitude
Semedo's rise to stardom has been remarkably fast. At 18-years-old he signed for Benfica from lower league club Sintrense, three years later he was making his full debut for the Portuguese champions, and just two months after that Fernando Santos had selected him as Portugal's right-back in the European Championship qualifier against Serbia.
"He is an out-of-the-ordinary lad," says Luis Loureiro, his former coach at Fatima where he played on loan. "He is very introverted off the pitch, but when he steps onto the grass he is completely transformed. With the ball at his feet he is at home, and he doesn't fear anything."
Curiously, the literal translation of his name "Sem Medo" is "Without Fear" and his fearlessness has been a feature of his career to date, taking on each step up without any noticeable issues, so much so that it is difficult to argue with the assessment of his former Benfica team-mate Victor Andrade, now playing in Germany at TSV 1860 Munich, who said: "I've always said and I continue to say that he's a superstar. If he hadn't got injured he'd have been a European champion with Portugal -- he would have been the first-choice right-back."
2. No Maxi, no problem
Semedo showed terrific potential from the moment he was surprisingly chosen as the replacement for Uruguayan stalwart Maxi Pereira. The combative Pereira had been a firm favourite among the Benfica faithful for eight years, patrolling the right side the defence with verve and determination before his sensational transfer to bitter rivals Porto in the summer of 2015.
Semedo soon made fans forget about Pereira, as a sensational start to the season saw the then 21-year-old called up to the full Portugal team by September. "Will he make people forget Maxi Pereira? Benfica ended up losing nothing," was the assessment of the legendary former Benfica right-back and captain Antonio Veloso. "You're going to hear a lot more about him." It's a verdict that is unanimous. Losing Maxi and gaining Nelson made Benfica stronger, not weaker.
3. His injury setback has been forgotten
As alluded to above, it came as a surprise when Benfica coach Rui Vitoria selected Semedo for the season-opening Super Cup match against Lisbon rivals Sporting. Benfica lost, but Semedo acquitted himself well, and the following week he scored on his Liga debut against Estoril.
The right-back was outstanding in the opening months of the season, leading to his call-up for Portugal, where he produced a typically assured display on his debut. Unfortunately for Semedo and Benfica, he fractured a bone in his right knee in the match, which led to several months on the sidelines, virtually writing off the rest of 2015-16.
Any concerns that Semedo's development may have taken a backward step have been quelled this season, with the defender showing machine-like consistency since day one. Semedo has played all but eight minutes of season -- he was substituted late on in week two -- tirelessly flying up and down the whole length of the right flank in all 20 matches.
4. He is the full package -- defending and attacking
Semedo's defending has improved markedly over the past 18 months, his tenacious tackling and high-energy play making it difficult for opposition forwards to get away from him.
However, it is the contributions he makes in the other half of the pitch that really make him stand out. He began his career as a right midfielder before being successfully adapted to full-back, and his attacking instincts are fully intact. It is common to see him surging forward and combining well with experienced Argentine winger Toto Salvio and fellow rising Portuguese star Goncalo Guedes. He is also not averse to going for goal himself either, and scored a spectacular strike against Besiktas in the recent Champions League tie.
5. He could be Portugal's most expensive - €80 million buyout clause
Benfica are currently in negotiations with Semedo to improve and extend his contract. According the Portuguese press, he is set to sign a contract that will include an eye-watering €80 million buyout clause.
If confirmed, it will make him the player with the highest release clause in Portugal. The message is clear for all suitors. If you want to buy Semedo, prepare to pay big.
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