Rui Costa must step up to keep hold of Benfica’s first-choice player | OneFootball

The negotiations for António Silva's contract renewal are not going smoothly. According to the latest information, Rui Costa aims to ensure the continuation of the Portuguese international, but if that is not possible, a sale in January is another scenario on the table.

Benfica's priority is to renew António Silva's contract, but the central defender's demands may complicate the process. At 22 years old, the Portuguese international seeks financial compensation. It's important to remember that the last contract extension happened in 2022, meaning the young player is one of the lowest-paid at the club given his importance.

Adding to all this, António Silva, represented by Jorge Mendes, has some clubs interested in signing him, such as Juventus and Newcastle. If it is not possible to renew the contract, Benfica is willing to negotiate the player well below the release clause, as revealed in an Exclusive Glorioso 1904.

In recent days, António Silva has been making headlines for his statements after the Benfica – Casa Pia match, risking a heavy punishment: “The blame for our draw is ours. We should have done more, but this weekend it became clear what's happening in our football. The protocol says if it's a deflection, it's not a penalty.”

This season, wearing Benfica's jersey, António Silva – valued at 32 million euros – played 18 matches: eight in the Liga Portugal Betclic, seven in the Champions League, one in the Portuguese Cup, one in the League Cup, and another in the Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup. In total, the central defender accumulated 1,525 minutes.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.