Bournemouth are set to strengthen their defence after agreeing a deal worth up to £25.7m (€30m) with Benfica for Portugal international Antonio Silva.
The Premier League club have reached an agreement that includes an initial fee of £21.4m, with a further £4.3m in performance-related bonuses. The 22-year-old defender is now travelling to complete his medical before finalising the transfer.
Silva has been Bournemouth’s leading defensive target following the departure of Marcos Senesi, who joined Tottenham on a free transfer earlier this summer. Negotiations took time to conclude, with Benfica waiting until after Thursday’s Europa League qualifying victory over Swiss side St Gallen before completing the agreement.
The centre-back established himself as a first-team regular at Benfica after his breakthrough in 2022 and has gained valuable experience in the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and FIFA Club World Cup.
On the international stage, Silva has earned 20 senior caps for Portugal and was included in the squads for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024. However, he was left out of Roberto Martinez’s squad for this summer’s tournament.
Silva is expected to become Bournemouth’s second signing of the transfer window following the arrival of striker Alvaro Rodriguez from Elche in a deal worth up to £25.7m.
Under new head coach Marco Rose, Bournemouth are focused on maintaining stability after generating more than £200m from player sales over the past year. The club are also determined to keep hold of key talents Alex Scott, Rayan and Junior Kroupi despite expected interest from elsewhere.
Kroupi, however, is set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering a pre-season injury that is expected to keep him out for between three and four months.