According to reports, Liverpool is preparing to sabotage Manchester United’s efforts to recruit, a defender for Benfic Antonio Silvaa. Jurgen Klopp sees the young defender as a long-term replacement for one of his dependable Anfield lieutenants.
The Merseysiders hurriedly rebuilt their midfield during the recently concluded summer transfer window when veterans Jordan Henderson and Fabinho were persuaded to leave Anfield for Saudi Arabia and joined the likes of James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. They were replaced by new talent worth £145.2 million, including Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, and Waturu Endo, who joined Liverpool as well.
There is no getting around the reality that Klopp wanted to improve his central defense alternatives during the summer transfer window. His scouting team has succession plans in place for all of their high-profile stars in the event that they leave.
Indeed, Joel Matip is getting older and it appears that his best days are behind him, therefore Klopp was determined to find a long-term replacement. The 32-year-old has been a Reds player since arriving on a free transfer from Schalke in 2016 and was one of Klopp’s initial additions to the squad.
Matip, who has made 193 appearances for Liverpool, is currently in his seventh season with the team and has contributed significantly to the success seen on Merseyside.
But there were indications throughout the previous campaign that Matip’s best days were behind him. His contract expires in the summer of 2024, and there have been rumors that Liverpool might consider selling him if a fair offer came in and the team was able to agree on a replacement.
Liverpool keen to beat Man Utd to Antonio Silva deal
As it turned out, Liverpool received no offers for Matip, and their emphasis on bolstering their midfield led to the decision to put the search for a replacement defender on hold.
However, according to the Daily Mail, Klopp and company are prepared to make a run for highly-rated Benfica adolescent Silva in the January transfer window.
The 19-year-old defender has performed admirably lately, leading to parallels in his native country to Ruben Dias, another recent defensive transplant.
Silva, who has already made 52 appearances for Benfica and earned five caps for Portugal, has a huge €100 million (£88 million) release clause in his contract.
Although that contract won’t expire until the summer of 2027, Benfica wants to reward him with a new one that raises the release clause to a greater level and makes it more difficult for potential suitors to overpay for his services.
However, Liverpool has been closely monitoring him lately and intends to witness him play for his nation over the upcoming international break.
According to reports, the Reds are ready to make a bid for his services during the winter transfer window in order to bolster their defense going into the second half of the season.
Antonio Silva is also a target for Man Utd.
Liverpool, though, doesn’t seem to have it all their own way in the race to acquire Silva.
Manchester United, who have the teenager on their list of three defenders they would like to buy as a replacement for Harry Maguire, are also keeping a close eye on him, according to Tuesday’s Euro Paper Talk.
Along with Silva, United are also interested in Edmond Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, and Jean-Clair Todibo of Nice is still a target after the club spotted the Frenchman in the summer transfer window.
However, according to Portuguese reports, Erik ten Hag is particularly interested in signing Silva because of the young player’s perceived higher upside than that of the other two candidates.
Silva has a very impressive record this year in the Portuguese Primeira Liga. He has a 94% success rate with passes and has so far this season averaged six wins in duels, four tackles, and four clearances for each match.
Portuguese players have a solid recent track record of being purchased by United, with Bruno Fernandes’ arrival in January 2019 sparking a surge in fortune.
The two north-west heavyweights might then engage in a furious struggle for the 6ft 2in defender.
However, Ten Hag’s chances will probably depend primarily on his capacity to get rid of the undesired Maguire. The England defender’s contract at Old Trafford, which pays him £200,000 per week, doesn’t expire until 2025, and moving him away has proven to be difficult.
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