Mangas, 28, joins on loan until 30 June 2027 with an obligation to buy triggered by certain sporting conditions, reported to be worth around €1.5 million plus bonuses of up to €400,000. Born in Olhão, he made his professional debut with Deportivo Aves in 2019-20 before Boavista signed him the following summer, where he scored three goals in 28 appearances and drew interest from clubs across Europe.
A loan at Bordeaux followed in 2021-22, yielding 29 Ligue 1 appearances and three goals, before he returned to Boavista and established himself as one of the best left-backs in Portuguese football, scoring four times in 27 matches. A move to Vitória Guimarães followed, where he made 38 appearances in total and scored four times in Conference League qualifying, before a season at Spartak Moscow in 2024-25 preceded his return to Portugal with Sporting last year. He made two Champions League appearances against Bayern Munich and PSG among his 23 games in all competitions, helping Sporting finish second in the league and reach the Portuguese Cup final.
Varela's arrival is a permanent transfer, with Monza paying Benfica a fee in the region of €3.5 million including bonuses for a five-year deal running to 2030. The 21-year-old striker, who also holds Cape Verdean citizenship through his parents, joined Benfica's academy in 2022 and made his first-team debut on the final day of last season after scoring 11 goals in 34 matches for the club's B team the year before.
He spent last season on loan at Gil Vicente, scoring seven goals in 33 appearances as the club enjoyed a surprise campaign in Portugal's top flight, form that also attracted interest from Parma, Venezia and Paris FC before Monza moved to secure his signature.
Varela's path to professional football has included an unusual family subplot: during the 2024-25 season, playing for Benfica's reserves, he faced his own father, former Cape Verde international Fernando Varela, then playing as a centre-back for Alverca in his final season before retirement, with the pair meeting as opponents on two occasions.
Both new arrivals are expected to link up with Jurić's squad immediately as Monza continue preparations for their first season back in Serie A.