Barcelona and Real Madrid will reportedly need to cough up €60 million to sign Portuguese defensive sensation Antonio Silva.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Benfica will demand €60 million to part ways with Antonio Silva. Barcelona and Real Madrid are two of the prospective suitors for the Portuguese defensive sensation.
Antonio Silva spent his formative years with four clubs before graduating from the Benfica youth division. The 19-year-old joined the Portuguese giants half a dozen years ago before making rapid progress at the club. The teenage prodigy started training with the first team ahead of the 2022/23 season and has already established a foothold in the senior squad.
The Portuguese defensive sensation has already made 16 appearances for Benfica this season, making an impression in the UEFA Champions League, in particular. And Silva’s exploits have not gone unnoticed, with some of Europe’s most high-profile clubs setting their sights on him. And Barcelona and Real Madrid are two of his prospective suitors.
Barcelona will look to sign a long-term successor for Gerard Pique after the veteran defender’s surprising decision to retire. Xavi Hernandez has only four centre-backs at his disposal. So bringing in a long-term central defensive solution will be a priority for the Barcelona manager. And while Inigo Martinez is closing in on joining the Blaugrana, Silva is also an option worth considering.
The Catalan giants are reportedly one of several European bigwigs keen on signing Silva. But Barcelona will not be the only high-profile club pursuing the Portuguese defensive sensation. They will need to fend off stiff competition from Real Madrid to secure the services of the 19-year-old.
The interest from Real Madrid is surprising, considering they signed Antonio Rudiger this past summer. But with Nacho’s contract talks with Los Blancos not progressing much, they will need to invest in a centre-back. Silva is thus a viable target for Real Madrid, considering David Alaba is on the wrong side of 30.
Barcelona and Real Madrid now know how much they will have to pay to sign Silva, with Benfica demanding €60 million for him. The price tag might pose a problem for the Blaugrana amid their continued financial woes.
But Real Madrid might not have any issues shelling out €60 million to land the Portuguese defensive sensation. It will be interesting to see if other clubs join the race to sign the teenage prodigy in a deal worth €60 million next summer.
