Wolverhampton Wanderers have held initial talks with Benfica ace Rafa Silva regarding a reunion with Bruno Lage in the Premier League, as reported by A Bola.
Liverpool supporters might have been breathing an almighty sigh of relief when Jurgen Klopp’s side were matched up with Benfica ahead of the Champions League quarter-finals.
This was, after all, probably the ‘easiest’ draw available to the Merseyside giants. If any game at this stage of Europe’s premiere club competition can be described as ‘easy’.
But Rafa Silva’s wonderful solo goal during Sunday’s 2-1 victory over Estoril is proof that Liverpool cannot afford to underestimate a side sitting third in Portugal’s Primeira Liga.
The Portugal international picks up the ball just outside his own penalty area before embarking on a lung-busting run from one end of the pitch to the other, leaving a throng of defenders choking on his dust and finishing off one of the finest individual efforts you’ll ever see with a flourish.
Now, we’re not sure about you but, if we had scored a goal like that, we’d have snapped the corner flag over our own heads in a fit of limb-waving delirium.
Silva, however, barely let even a glimmer of a smile flash across his face.
According to A Bola, the lack of a celebration is proof of Silva’s dissatisfaction at the Estadio da Luz.
The 28-year-old winger reportedly feels that he was unfairly blamed for the recent departure of legendary coach Jorge Jesus.
Is Rafa Silva leaving Benfica for Wolves?
Benfica will listen to offers this summer, despite Silva’s eye-catching tally of 12 goals and 17 assists for a side sitting a colossal 12 points adrift of Porto in the league table.
The report adds that there has been ‘exploratory talks’ between Wolves and Benfica for the £25 million forward. This would be a deal with Bruno Lage’s fingerprints all over it. Silva, after all, was a hugely important part of the Benfica side who stormed to domestic glory under Lage in 2020.
“I’m happy for him. He’s doing a fantastic job,” Lage said of Silva at the time. “We have to know the man. He is stable, confident.”
Benfica will reportedly demand around £25 million for Silva.
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