Liverpool battle Manchester United for Iberian star; VVD's successor?
Liverpool are ready to battle Manchester United and Bayern Munich to sign Benfica defender Antonio Silva during the summer window. Silva is enjoying a fantastic season with his Portuguese club and he has established himself as a first-team regular there.
Standing at 1.87 metres, Silva holds a formidable presence in both aerial and ground duels while using his immense strength. His maturity and mental growth have played a pivotal role in establishing himself as a senior team regular this season.
The 20-year-old is not the quickest defender but he uses his positioning sense and stands sideways to make quick recoveries. He stays on his feet, using his body and good decision-making to make well-timed tackles and interceptions against any opponent.
The Portugal international plays at the right side of the central defence for Benfica, enjoying the high-line defensive tactics. Silva is a modern-day defender, comfortable on possession and always available to receive the ball even in tight spaces.
The 20-year-old boasts a high passing accuracy, capable of making progressive passes and delivering long balls from the backline. He makes powerful runs with the ball, covering a lot of ground when given the space to do so.
Silva has made 50 appearances in all competitions for Benfica, contributing with two goals this season. He received only nine yellow cards as the discipline which shows his level-headedness and composure despite his young age.
Correio da Manha (via Fichajes) reports that Liverpool, Man United, and Bayern want to sign Silva during the summer. The report also suggested that Silva has a €100 million release clause and Benfica would want the full sum.
Joel Matip is leaving Liverpool as a free agent during the summer which leaves a shortage in their defensive department. While Jarell Quansah has proven worthy to be a senior team player, Ibrahima Konate has struggled with fitness and consistency.
With Virgl Van Dijk also getting older, bringing in his successor should be a priority. Silva still has ways to go before he touches the Dutchman’s levels but the talent is there for all to see. Whether Liverpool do see him as the skipper’s successor remains to be seen.
Silva is one of the best young talents in Europe and he has already mustered a lot of senior-team experience. It is still speculative to guess how serious Liverpool are considering Silva but they are definitely in the market for a defender.
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