No club has earned more in the last ten years by selling players as much as SL Benfica. The Portuguese club has earned over £900 million, which shows their calibre in developing and unearthing young talents. Axel Witsel, Jan Oblak, Renato Sanches, David Luiz, Ederson, and Angel de Maria are just some of the top gems made by the club.
Even in the summer transfer window, the club sold Darwin Nunez for a deal worth up to €100 million. And as expected, the club is more than ready for the future transfer window with centre-back Antonio Silva. Manager Roger Schmidt thrust the Portuguese into the centre of the defence after Jan Vertonghen departed the club.
While it may have been a daunting challenge for any player making their debut season, Antonio Silva has been different. The 18-year-old has seamlessly slotted into the backline. The inclusion of Silva is why SL Benfica has the best defensive record in the league, conceding just five goals in 10 matches. Aongwith Nicolas Otamendi and the impressive Edson Alvarez they have made Benfica’s defence water tight.
Silva’s rise shows the efficiency of the SL Benfica system that discovers new gems that so often escape the eyes of the big clubs.
So, who is Antonio Silva, and how good is he?
Playing career so far
Antonio Silva was born in Viseu in central Portugal and started his footballing career at nine, joining the local Penalva do Castelo. He then joined Repesenses in 2012, spending three years at the club. During this time, the centre-back would also come on the radar of several top Portuguese clubs. He even had multiple training sessions with Sporting CP.
Ultimately, he chose to stay in his hometown, joining local club Viseu United. However, after one year, it was sure he was too talented for the club. Antonio Silva would then move 180 miles to Lisbon, joining SL Benfica. And after struggling with homesickness initially, Silva became one of the top players in Benfica’s youth system.
Talent of the day:
Antonio Silva (Benfica)
The 18yo CB has caught the eye of European giants in his breakout season for Benfica, featuring 13 times & helping Benfica concede 5 goals in 11 Liga Portugal games (the best record in Europe top 7 leagues) this season. pic.twitter.com/UEr4Q5Gu3T
— Career mode (@heli_chito) October 30, 2022
At the age of 17, he was promoted to the under-23s. He would play 14 matches in the Liga Revelacao, scoring one goal. The…
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