Real Madrid are all set to battle it out with Manchester United for the services of 19-year-old SL Benfica defender Antonio Silva.
According to a report by Defensa Central, Real Madrid and Manchester United are both keen on having Antonio Silva in their ranks. The 19-year-old sensation has been putting in some impressive performances over the past 12 months, and both clubs have been keeping a close eye on him.
Antonio Silva has come through the ranks at SL Benfica at some pace. He was promoted to their first team last summer and has already featured in over 50 matches for their senior team. The 19-year-old has managed to establish himself as a first-team regular.
The teenage sensation has already featured in eight matches this season. While he might not have had the best of starts to his UEFA Champions League campaign after being sent off in the 13th minute, the Portuguese international has been doing a great job for them in the league.
His impressive performances have not gone unnoticed, and there is a lot of interest in his services. Real Madrid are one of the clubs that have been monitoring him for a while now. Scouts of the Spanish giants have been present in the stands to watch the Portuguese defender play on multiple occasions.
Real Madrid do not have much depth in their defence, and they are struggling to cope with that at this point in time. Eder Militao is out with a long-term injury, and his absence has meant that the team in white have only had three central defenders in the first half of the 2023/24 season — Nacho, David Alaba and Antonio Rudiger.
But, at this point in time, they are only left with Antonio Rudiger. With Alaba out injured and Nacho suspended in the league after picking up a red card. This situation has forced them into thinking about a defensive reinforcement in the near future, and they have their eyes on Silva.
However, they are not the only ones in the race. Even Manchester United have been scouting him for a while now. Erik ten Hag is not happy with the options that he has in the heart of the defence and is keen on bringing in another centre-back in the near future.
He is a big admirer of the 19-year-old and feels his arrival could help them to a great extent in the long run. Silva could eventually take over from Raphael Varane. While Real Madrid and Manchester United are ready to battle it out for his signatures, the player is ready to join a bigger club in the near future according to reports in Portugal.
