Newcastle United have admired Benfica’s Rafa Silva for a number of years but are yet to make a serious offer to bring the Portugal international to the Premier League, as reported by Noticias ao Minuto.
Talk about silencing your critics.
Eyebrows were raised in all corners of Iberia when it was announced that Rafa Silva had been included in Fernando Santos’ 26-man squad for Euro 2020.
The 28-year-old had endured a difficult season for a Benfica side who finished nine points adrift of Lisbon rivals Sporting CP in the Primeira Liga table, with fans and pundits alike questioning whether he really deserved a place in Santos’ roster.
Those doubters were oddly quiet after Portugal’s 3-0 group-stage victory over Hungary, however.
The scores were level at 0-0 before Rafa came off the bench in the second half and, 20 minutes later, he had played a major role in three late goals as the brave Hungarian resistance was broken at last.
Will Portugal’s Rafa Silva finally sign for Newcastle?
It was the sort of performance which explains why Newcastle have been admiring Rafa Silva for so long. The 28-year-old is a player capable of changing a game with one mazy dribble, an inch-perfect through-ball or a clever one-two.
With 42 goals across the last three seasons – including 21 in 2019/20 – he has got a ruthless streak in his locker too.
According to Noticias ao Minuto, Newcastle are yet to make an offer for Rafa Silva this summer.
That could soon change, however, with the former Braga star returning home after Portugal’s Euro 2020 campaign came to an end against Belgium.
“(Newcastle) are one of the interested parties,” Rafa’s agent said as far back as 2019.
The winger had been labelled the ‘Portuguese Eden Hazard’ in his younger days and you can see why. A diminutive dynamo who can go from zero to 100 quicker than a Lamborghini Aventador, Rafa Silva would add a sprinkling of excitement to a Newcastle side who are more ‘Bruce’s plodders’ than ‘Keegan’s Entertainers’.
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