Arsenal have received encouraging news about Benfica’s young star as Edu plans a major transfer.
Arsenal have received a major boost in their hopes of signing Antonio Silva. The 20-year-old defender continues to be heavily linked with a move to the Premier League following his impressive performances for Benfica this season.
Silva, whose contract runs until 2027, featured 30 times in the Portuguese top flight, helping the Eagles keep 15 clean sheets. While he couldn’t quite lead Roger Schmidt’s side to Primeira Liga glory, his eye-catching displays have reportedly attracted interest from top clubs.
According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United have all contacted Benfica regarding a potential deal for Silva. The report states that the Portuguese giants are willing to consider offers over €100m (£85m), which could be a stumbling block for most clubs.
CaughtOffside adds that Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in Silva, but he is believed to prefer a move to England. While Benfica may demand a high fee for the youngster, they might have no choice but to cash in.
In an interview on the official club website, Rui Costa admitted that “no Portuguese club can survive without sales” ahead of the summer transfer window. The Eagles’ president said, “Fortunately, in the space where we are [Benfica Campus], we have created the best talent Portugal has seen in years.
“António [Silva] and João [Neves] are examples of this, and I’m sure there will be more to come. There’s been a lot of talk about these two players, but there’s nothing concrete because the market hasn’t started to move yet.
“No Portuguese club can survive without sales. What I’m trying to do is make the most of it financially with as few sales as possible. We will do everything we can not to breach financial fair play, and I will never put the club in that position.”
Then, on Benfica’s recruitment plans, Costa added, “Benfica didn’t take 100 million euros and throw it away. The assets are here and, as I said, the priority of my mandate is the sports side. I had the opportunity to say in January that Benfica has future capital gains.
“Part of that money that is being valued comes from the January market, where we anticipated signing players of the future on the international market, such as Marcos Leonardo, who will definitely make a name for himself.
“For those outside the club, we invested 100 million euros and didn’t win, but that investment wasn’t for months. It was directed towards club assets that we had to attack now. And many of them, which didn’t produce immediate results, will be assets in the future.”