Newcastle United are reportedly readying a bid for a future "legend" of the game, with the deal potentially costing £42m in total, including add-ons.
Newcastle transfer news
The Magpies are being linked with top-quality players on a daily basis this summer, as they look to complete some significant transfer business that will aid their chances of a top-four push in the Premier League next season.
Newcastle are believed to be in talks with Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga, who has impressed at the City Ground since joining from Manchester United last year. The Swede has also been hailed by Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the past, who said of him: "A great talent, we are proud and happy that he comes from Sweden. That he can represent Sweden now makes it even bigger. He has all the future ahead of him, and if he continues just as he has done, it looks positive."
Meanwhile, Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo is a player who Eddie Howe's side are reportedly keeping an eye on, with the Uruguayan wanting improved wages and potentially eyeing a move elsewhere. The Magpies and Manchester City are seen as the current front-runners, should he move on.
In terms of the goalkeeper situation, Burnley stopper James Trafford is still a leading candidate to arrive between the sticks ahead of next season, with Newcastle said to be "optimistic" about getting a deal over the line.
Newcastle readying £42m bid for Euro 2024 ace
Now, according to Jornal de Noticias [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are preparing an offer for Benfica and Portugal centre-back Antonio Silva. The 20-year-old is arguably one of Europe's most exciting young defenders, and a £42m bid looks set to be made, which is actually half the amount of his current release clause.
While Benfica may be reluctant to lose him on the cheap, it is claimed that they could be "trying to up the ante", secretly willing to sell him for the amount the Magpies are offering.
This is an exciting update, considering what a huge talent Silva is, possibly arriving at Newcastle as a mainstay of their defence for the next decade.
He has already racked up 94 appearances for Benfica, scoring seven times for good measure, and he has also won 13 caps for Portugal, two of which have come at Euro 2024 this summer, where he has completed 89.1% of his passes to date. The youngster has had massive praise heaped on him by Jan Vertonghen in the past, too, with the Belgian saying of him:
"At the beginning of the season he started playing with Morato, who is a very good player, but then, because of the injuries they had to put the kid Antonio Silva, but the boy will be a legend. If he keeps doing what he’s been doing, he has everything to be one of the best defenders in the world in a year or two."
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This sums up why Newcastle should be doing all they can to bring in Silva this summer, and while his age means he is still learning as a player, his performances for club and country show that he is well ahead of his time, in terms of maturity, and could go straight in as a starter for Howe.