Deal imminent! Marco Rose set to poach Benfica starter from Marco Silva | OneFootball

António Silva is very close to leaving Benfica for Bournemouth. After an understanding was reached between the Portugal international and the English club, an agreement has also been reached between the two teams to complete the transfer.

If the deal is confirmed, the match against St. Gallen, in the first leg of the Europa League second qualifying round, will have been the player’s last in the Eagles shirt. According to Italian journalist Nicolò Schira, the centre-back’s stay for that match was a condition imposed by the Reds before authorizing his departure.

The 22-year-old centre-back is expected to sign a five-season contract with Bournemouth, the club managed by Marco Rose, keeping him tied to the Premier League side until June 2031. The Portugal international is therefore preparing to embrace the first experience of his career outside Portugal.

Developed at Seixal, António Silva was about to begin his fifth season with Benfica’s first team and captained the side in the opening matches of the new campaign. His departure marks the end of a journey of several years in service of the Eagles, where he established himself as one of the squad’s leading figures.

Despite the transfer rumors, Marco Silva stated at the press conference after the match in Switzerland that he was still counting on the player as long as there was no official confirmation of his departure: "Until I am told that António is no longer a Benfica player, all our preparation and all the conversations I have with him are as a Benfica player", he said.

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