Antonio Silva Says Yes to AC Milan: Agreement with Mendes Reached
AC Milan continues to work on strengthening their defence and the hottest name in recent hours is Antonio Silva, the Portuguese centre-back born in 2003 currently at Benfica. According to the latest reports, a verbal understanding has already been reached between the player’s camp — represented by powerful agent Jorge Mendes — and the Rossoneri: the defender has given his green light in principle to a potential move to Milan. An informal handshake that brings the parties significantly closer together.
Antonio Silva, then, appears convinced about leaving Portugal and embracing the project that Ruben Amorim is building at Milan. An important signal that underlines the club’s attractiveness on the international transfer market.
Now It’s Down to the Clubs: The Benfica Knot to Untie
The path is not yet complete, however. The real hurdle remains reaching an agreement between AC Milan and Benfica: the two clubs must find common financial ground on valuations that do not always align. The Portuguese club, which had already offered their defender a contract renewal, now finds itself in a delicate position: Silva has put that renewal on hold, gradually drifting closer to the expiry of his current deal. A situation that, if it continues, could push Benfica to negotiate at more accessible figures rather than risk losing him on a free transfer.
The defender’s current market value is estimated at between €20 and €25 million — a broadly reasonable figure for a young profile with significant room for growth.
Who Is Antonio Silva: A Defender with Huge Potential
Despite being just 22 years old, Antonio Silva has already accumulated approximately 180 first-team appearances for Benfica, a figure that speaks to a maturity and reliability uncommon at his age. Physically imposing — standing 1.87 m tall — he is a solid central defender with good technique and a strong positional sense.
Last season he made 25 appearances for Benfica, contributing 1 goal and 2 assists. The 6 yellow cards collected paint the picture of a combative player, still occasionally rough around the edges in his defensive reads, but his underlying talent is beyond doubt. In recent seasons he has had some dips in form that cost him his place in the Portuguese national team — he is not among those called up to the World Cup — but the potential to return to the highest level remains very much intact.
AC Milan in Search of Defensive Reinforcements: Several Names on the Table
Antonio Silva is not the only name the Rossoneri hierarchy is considering for the defensive department. At the recent transfer summit held in Lisbon between coach Amorim, owner Gerry Cardinale and the club’s management, four or five different profiles were discussed to bolster the backline. Milan wants to act swiftly, especially after the speed with which the signing of Gonzalo Ramos was pushed through — a deal deliberately fast-tracked to avoid losing the Portuguese striker as had happened with other targets in the recent past. The same determination is now being applied to the defence, with Antonio Silva remaining at the top of the list.
