Crystal Palace fans, meet your first signing of the 2025 summer transfer window: Walter Benítez.
The Argentina goalkeeper will officially join the Eagles on 1st July, following the conclusion of his contract with Dutch club PSV Eindhoven.
He has proven pedigree when it comes to European competition having made 27 appearances in the UEFA Champions League for PSV and previously competing in the Europa League for former club OGC Nice.
Here is everything you need to know about Palace’s newest addition to the goalkeeping department.
32-year-old Benítez is in the prime of his career an impressive three-year spell in Eindhoven, which culminated in an outstanding campaign across 2024/25.
The Argentine was an ever-present in the Rood-witten’s successful championship season, PSV lifting the Eredivisie title by a single point from close rivals Ajax. Along the way he kept nine clean sheets.
This followed another impressive individual season the year before, where Benítez finished with 18 shutouts, conceding just 20 goals across the entire campaign – missing only one game as PSV claimed the domestic championship.
During his time in the Netherlands, he became known as one of the league’s outstanding goalkeepers, with both his shot-stopping skills and excellent reflexes in particular catching the eye.
As well as two Eredivisie league winners medals, Benítez was also part of a side that won the KNVB cup and two Johan Cruyff Shields during his time in Dutch football.
Born in the city of General San Martín in January 1993, Benítez’s break in professional football came with Quilmes Atlético Club in Buenos Aires – the oldest club in the Argentinian club system.
First signed as a youth player in 2011, he would turn professional and make his senior debut in the 2013/14 season.
Thrown in at the deep end, Benítez helped his club to some crucial points to help stave off relegation, going onto establish himself as first choice goalkeeper in the following campaign.
Successive impressive seasons in his homeland saw Benítez make his move over to Europe in 2016, joining French outfit OGC Nice.
Originally signed as a back-up, the Argentine established himself as number one in the 2017/18 season. Within a year he won the Ligue 1 Goalkeeper of the Year award selected by France Football magazine, after keeping 16 clean sheets in 35 top-flight appearances.
Developing into a leader as well as a fine goalkeeper, Benítez also wore the captain’s armband on several occasions.
In 2021/22, he excelled as part of the best defence in France’s top-flight, keeping 14 clean sheets in his 37 league appearances, in a Nice team that conceded just 36 goals and qualified for the UEFA Conference League.
Naturally this drew the interest of Champions League clubs with Benítez moving to PSV Eindhoven the following summer.
After three appearances for Argentina’s under-20 side back in 2013, Benítez would have to be patient for a first senior call-up on the international stage.
A decade on he received a call-up and was part of the Argentina squad for two friendly matches in June 2023 against Australia and Indonesia, although he remained on the bench for both games.
At the age of 31, Benítez fulfilled a lifelong ambition when he won his first senior cap, starting in a 3-1 win over Costa Rica in Los Angeles.
Although this remains his only appearance for the reigning World Champions to date, Benítez has gone on to become a squad regular under Lionel Scaloni and has been on the bench for Argentina’s last ten internationals.
Welcome to England – and to South London, Walter!