Benfica paid £14.5m for Rafa Silva last year but the Primeira Liga champions could now let him leave for Wolves.
After just a year-and-a-half at Benfica, Rafa Silva looks set to leave the Estadio da Luz.
Big things were expected of the 24-year-old when he became the second-most expensive player in the club’s history in 2016, signing from SC Braga for a fee of £14.5 million, per the Times of India.
The so-called ‘Portuguese Eden Hazard’ has fallen down the pecking order under manager Rui Vitoria, however, and has made just one league start this season, featuring for a total of 153 minutes. He’s even been left out of the squad entirely on a number of occasions.
Portuguese paper Record claimed on Monday that Championship leaders Wolves were interested in adding the ten-time Portuguese international to their growing collection of Iberian talents in the January transfer window.
And their hopes have received a boost on Thursday as Correio da Manha report that Rafa Silva is one of the three players expected to leave Benfica in the New Year. Winger Andrija Zivkovic and Inter Milan loanee Gabigol are on borrowed time with the Portuguese champions while the report confirms that Rafa Silva has an offer from England – most likely Wolves.
It is unknown how much the Chinese-funded promotion favourites would have to pay to bring the elusive wideman to Molineux. Benfica, like most Portuguese clubs, are renowned for their ability to get top dollar for their players so expect Wolves to be forced to dig deep and produce another eight-figure transfer fee.
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