Tottenham Hotspur are keen on improving their defensive unit with the signing of Benfica defender Antonio Silva.
A report from Fichajes claims that Tottenham have emerged as one of the ‘main contenders’ to sign the 20-year-old central defender and he is likely to cost around €100 million. The player has a release in his contract of €100 million and Benfica are unwilling to sell him for less.
Apparently, the North London outfit will face competition from Manchester United and Real Madrid as well. It will be interesting to see if Tottenham can win the race for his signature.
Silva is regarded as one of the best young defenders around Europe right now and he has the attributes to develop into a world-class player. He could be the ideal long-term partner for the likes of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero at the heart of Tottenham’s defence.
It is evident that Tottenham need to add more depth to the defensive unit and the 20-year-old could sort out their back line for the foreseeable future.
Although the asking price is quite steep, Silva has the potential to justify the investment in the long run. It is fair to assume that Tottenham will have to secure Champions League qualification in order to attract elite talents like him. The 20-year-old will want to join the club capable of winning major trophies and it remains to be seen whether Tottenham can convince him to join them.
Meanwhile, players like Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane have been linked with moves away from Manchester United and the Red Devils need to bring in quality replacements. Silva would be an exceptional long-term investment for them as well.
