Fabrizio Romano has said he has heard rumours of Liverpool being interested in signing Benfica wonderkid Antonio Silva, who is regarded by many as the next big talent coming from Portuguese football.
Speaking to CaughtOffside, the Italian journalist revealed that Liverpool could well be in the race to sign Silva, with the 18-year-old centre-back mostly being linked with a move to Manchester United as the defender continues to enjoy a breakout season with Benfica.
The teenager has made 14 appearances in all competitions for Benfica this season, with Silva also playing every minute of the UEFA Champions League group stage. And as a result, transfer interest is already high in the defender, with CaughtOffside stating that the youngster could already be worth as much as €90m (£78m).
Standing at 6’1″, Silva has already been likened to former Benfica star Ruben Dias, with many expecting the 18-year-old to follow in the Manchester City star’s footprints and one day move to the Premier League, where signing for Liverpool could become a reality.
Indeed, the sky is the limit for Silva, with the youngster’s reputation seemingly growing by the day amongst fans and pundits. And according to Romano, Liverpool could be in the race to sign the defender in 2023 if Benfica are open to their latest wonderkid leaving for a big club.
Romano said: “I’ve seen some reports of Liverpool and Manchester United looking at him. For sure, top clubs are following him but it’s important to say that there’s still nothing serious or concrete, as of now. He is still developing as a player, but let’s see where he is in a few years, the future looks bright for him.”
Liverpool should be patient before moving to sign Antonio Silva
Expectations are high for Silva to one day follow the likes of Dias, yet whilst the defender’s potential is truly spectacular, Liverpool should bide their time before making a move to sign the centre-back given the wonderkid’s age and the Reds’ current situation in the position.
After all, Liverpool have some promising defenders of their own right coming through the academy, and whilst there is a temptation to buy the best-of-the-best in a certain age group, the Reds could be better off spending big on a finished product in a position where the Merseyside club need investment.
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