Bournemouth have emerged as the Premier League club moving most decisively for António Silva, with two Portuguese newspapers reporting growing momentum behind a deal for the Benfica defender.
The Portugal international has spent much of the past yearat the centre of transfer speculation after entering the final year of his contract. Recent reports have claimed he rejected Benfica’s latest renewal proposal and is now open to offers from abroad.
Now, both O Jogo and A Bola report Bournemouth are firmly in the picture, with the latter stating negotiations between the two clubs are already underway.
That represents the strongest indication yet that António Silva’s long spell at Benfica could be approaching its end.
Bournemouth making their move
According to A Bola, Bournemouth’s interest is far from speculative. The newspaper claims talks are already taking place between the clubs, with Benfica hoping to secure a package worth around €20m (£17.3m), including performance-related bonuses.
One factor helping Bournemouth’s pursuit is the presence of Tiago Pinto. The club’s head of football previously worked as Benfica’s general director and knows António Silva well from their time together in Lisbon.
A Bola report Pinto has long believed the defender possesses the qualities required to succeed in the Premier League, making him a natural target as Bournemouth look to strengthen their defence.
O Jogo also confirm Bournemouth are closely following the situation, adding that Benfica are already preparing for the possibility of losing the 22-year-old this summer.
The timing favours the Premier League club. With António Silva’s contract expiring in June 2027, Benfica’s negotiating position has weakened considerably.
And the defender recently rejected a contract renewal. Recent reports have also pointed to disagreements over salary, sporting guarantees and his long-term role within Benfica’s project.
Benfica facing growing defensive concerns
The reports suggest António Silva’s possible departure is creating wider problems for Benfica than simply replacing one player.
A Bola believe the club’s 2-1 pre-season defeat to Brazilian side Flamengo exposed significant weaknesses at the heart of Marco Silva’s defence.
António Silva was involved in both goals conceded, but the newspaper stress new signing Clément Lenglet also endured a difficult afternoon as the partnership failed to convince internally.
The concerns were obvious enough for Marco Silva to intervene during the match, speaking with both central defenders during the first cooling break before the half-hour mark.
Benfica are negotiating over the sale of one of their academy graduates while simultaneously searching for another centre-back to reinforce the squad, despite the financial and sporting pressure created by the timing of the window.
ith negotiations now underway and Benfica under growing pressure both contractually and on the pitch, the Premier League club have positioned themselves as the leading contenders to sign António Silva.