Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is reportedly ready to sanction a bid worth €50 million to sign Antonio Silva from Benfica.
According to a report by Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Antonio Silva is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. The Merengues are scouring the market for centre-backs ahead of the 2024 summer transfer window. And Florentino Perez is willing to shell out €50 million to land the 19-year-old Benfica defender.
Antonio Silva is the latest Portuguese sensation to take age-group football in Europe by storm before becoming a regular for his club’s first team despite still being a teenager. The youngster began his youth career at CF Os Repesenses before embarking on a short stint at Viseu United. But his stock started rising after joining Benfica.
The teenage prodigy broke into the first-team squad in 2022 and has come leaps and bounds since then. The 19-year-old has also established a foothold in Portugal’s national team. Meanwhile, Silva has turned out over 50 times thus far for Benfica, chipping in with six goals. The player’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs.
Premier League bigwigs like Liverpool and Manchester United have had their sights set on the teenage wonderkid for a long time. But recent reports have suggested that Silva does not want to join either English club. Instead, he has his heart set on moving to Real Madrid, with Los Blancos also keen on securing his services.
Real Madrid’s interest in Silva is understandable, considering the injury crisis currently plaguing Carlo Ancelotti’s squad. Eder Militao and David Alaba are on the sidelines, while Nacho is serving a suspension. So, Antonio Rudiger is the only fit central defender in the Real Madrid squad.
In addition, Nacho, Rudiger, and Alaba are on the wrong side of 30. So, it behoves Real Madrid to invest in a younger central defender who can be Eder Militao’s long-term partner. Antonio Silva is thus a viable target, with Los Blancos considering submitting a bid worth €50 million to land him.
It is unclear if €50 million will be enough for Real Madrid to secure Silva’s services. Widespread reports have suggested that the 19-year-old Portuguese international has a release clause worth over €100 million in his contract with Benfica. So, a bid worth €50 million might not be enough to sign him.