Aheed Abrar
Benfica youngster Antonio Silva monitored by Manchester United scouts during Champions League fixture
Manchester United scouts were present during the Benfica vs Paris Saint Germain fixture to watch Antonio Silva, according to The Mirror. The young Portuguese centre-back started for the Eagles against Les Parisiens at the Estádio da Luz.
The Red Devils have taken an interest towards Silva due to his performances this season. United are looking to bring in a young defender who can be moulded into a quality player. And the 18-year-old defender has all the traits.
Silva’s current contract at Benfica runs until 2027. However, the Portuguese youngster has a release clause of £13 million. The Lisbon-based club want to increase that.
Benfica took on PSG in the third game of Group H in the Champions League. The match ended 1-1 with goals from Lionel Messi and an own goal by Danilo Pereira.
Silva played the full 90 minutes against a front line that consisted of the Argentine great, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. The 18-year-old defender, along with former Manchester City star Nicolas Otamendi, kept the Ligue 1 outfit’s front three relatively quiet.
The young centre-back made his debut for the Portuguese outfit this season in a 3-0 win against Boavista in the Primeira Liga. Since then, the 19-year-old has been a mainstay in Roger Schmidt’s starting XI.
Benfica are unbeaten in all competitions in the 2022/23 campaign. They recently shocked Juventus in the UCL, beating them 2-1 at the Allianz Stadium.
United have a host of options in the backline. Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have formed a solid partnership at the back this season. Erik ten Hag can also call upon Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof.
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However, United do not seem to have a young defender they can count on. Most of our centre-backs are in their late 20s. Thus, it makes sense for the Red Devils to keep an eye on the up-and-coming talent around Europe.
