Benfica have signed Barcelona’s Brazilian midfielder Geovanni on loan until the end of the season.

The Spanish sports paper A Bola said the deal was reached last night and Benfica will pay 65 per cent of the Brazilian’s wages until the end of the season.

Geovanni arrived at the Camp Nou in a €19.6m transfer from Brazilian side Cruzeiro in the summer of 2001. However, since the return of Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal in the summer, he has yet to start a league game.

The Brazilian becomes the first signing at Benfica for former Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho.

The Lisbon-based club lie second in the league, 9 points behind leaders Porto and Camacho is understood to be looking for further signings before the deadline expires at the end of the month.