Liverpool face competition from Newcastle United for 19-year-old Portuguese defensive star

Liverpool face competition from Newcastle United for Benfica defender Antonio Silva

According to Portuguese outlet Record (h/t Liverpool Echo), Liverpool to face competition from Newcastle United for the signature of Benfica defender Antonio Silva.

Liverpool have sent scouts to watch the young defender this season, but Newcastle are also keeping a close eye on him.

With the Reds looking to sell

Joel Matip in the summer, they would need to replace him with a younger option. Silva is considered an option. Atalanta’s Giorgio Scalvini has been linked as well.

Silva has had an excellent season with Benfica so far. The 19-year-old has scored three goals in 35 appearances in all competitions from centre-back. He has been a rock at the back as the Portuguese side marched onto the quarter-final of the Champions League, and are leading the league by eight points.

Even at such a young age, the Portugal international possesses the skills of a top-level centre-back. His experience on the elite stage is growing by the minute.

Silva is an epitome of a modern-day centre-back with excellent recovery pace, comfort with the ball at his feet, physically dominant and reading the game well to snuff out opposition attacks even before they start.

He possesses a pass accuracy of 92% in the league this season (63.7 pass attempts per 90). 12 clean sheets from 21 games is an excellent return for a defender. He has an aerial duel win rate of 61% (which is important for a player potentially coming to the English league). He hardly gets dribbled past too (0.6 per 90) [Sofascore].

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Looking at those numbers and also watching him live, one can say that Silva does not have many weaknesses in his game. Liverpool should be all over to sign him in the summer. He could challenge Joe Gomez to become the third-choice centre-back behind Ibrahima Konate and Virgil van Dijk.