Manchester United are looking to Portugal this summer with one key warning in mind, top targets will not come cheap.
For the last decade Benfica have been a selling club, and three Manchester United players have arrived from there, via different routes.
United paid £31 million to sign Victor Lindelof in 2017. Nemanja Matic came the same summer, after Benfica sold him to Chelsea for £21 million. Years earlier in 2010 they sold Angel di Maria to Real Madrid for the same price.
It was in 2019 when the market exploded. They sold Joao Felix to Atletico Madrid for £109 million, and have been both financially secure and confident enough since to demand similar high prices. They have been telling clubs to follow the Atletico route of paying the release clause, or don’t bother.
This is causing problems for clubs like Manchester United, who want their top players, Joao Neves and Antonio Silva.
Antonio Silva release clause
Antonio Silva, 20, is one of the top young centre-backs in Europe, a regular in the Benfica team and an international with Portugal.
Manchester United have been scouting Antonio Silva since 2022, and with a need to sign a centre-back to replace Raphael Varane, the Benfica youngster is among the targets, with O Jogo reporting the club are paying ‘particular attention’ to him.
The problem is Silva’s release clause. He is under contract to the year 2027, with a 100 million Euros release clause in his deal. This works out at £85 million.
This would make him the most expensive defender in Manchester United’s history, above the £80 million paid for Harry Maguire. It’s unclear if the club’s budget extends this far, in a summer where two centre-backs may be required.
Antonio Silva debuts for Benfica and Portugal
Antonio Silva made his debut for Portugal when he was just 18, in August 2022, keeping a clean sheet in a 3-0 win over Boavista.
He went on to earn a place in Portugal’s World Cup squad where he featured at the tournament against South Korea, having made his debut in a pre-tournament friendly against Nigeria, also keeping a clean sheet.
Antonio Silva 2023/24 season
Antonio Silva enjoyed a strong 2023/24 season, making a total of 50 appearances in all competitions for Benfica, featuring in both the Champions League and Europa League.
He played a total of 4,362 minutes for his side, scoring twice in the league, with Benfica finishing second behind Sporting.