Manchester City and Barcelona are reportedly interested in Benfica sensation Antonio Silva.

According to Media Foot Marseille, European giants Manchester City and Barcelona are interested in signing Benfica sensation Antonio Silva.

The 18-year-old spent his youth career at various clubs before moving to Benfica in 2016.  An injury crisis of sorts has proven to be a boon for him, granting him regular time for the first XI this season. Silva has made ten senior appearances for the Eagles, four of which have come in the UEFA Champions League.

A good passer of the ball, Silva is technically proficient and also a force to be reckoned with in the air. He has everything in his locker to develop into a top-tier centre-back in the years to come. Just 18, he is far from the finished product.

A winner of the UEFA Youth League, the teenage defensive sensation has seamlessly made a name for himself at the senior level. He has taken the opportunity with both hands and can be considered a starter for the Portuguese giants. Likened to Ruben Dias, Silva is now attracting attention from Barcelona and Manchester City.

Embed from Getty Images

Manchester City landed Dias in 2020, and he is a key cog in Pep Guardiola’s backline today. Dias could do with a reliable partner, and bringing in Silva will more or less solve the Citizens’ defensive conundrum for the next decade. Guardiola is known to get the best out of his players, and Silva can certainly benefit from his mentoring.

Guardiola does face competition from his former side Barcelona who are looking to build following a forgettable few seasons. The 3-3 draw earlier in the week showcased the defensive frailties in the Catalan outfit’s backline, and it is time they address it.

Gerard Pique is not the player he once was and has slowed down with age. Bringing in Silva will see them finally take the first step to replacing the veteran centre-back. A powerhouse of a player in the making, Silva could become the defensive lynchpin for the Blaugrana in the long term.

If the 18-year-old continues to impress, he is bound to attract attention from more clubs. Manchester City and Barcelona will do well to act fast and land their man before competitors join the fray.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Recommended

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.