Newcastle United 'plot' £40m move for 17-time international with Champions League experience

Newcastle United are reported to be lining up a ‘huge’ move for highly-rated Benfica centre back Antonio Silva. The Magpies are keen to bolster their defensive options in January after a mixed start to the season which has seen the team concede 21 goals from their opening 16 Premier League games.

Eddie Howe currently has an ageing centre back partnership of Fabian Schar (32) and Dan Burn (32) at his disposal while the likes of Jamaal Lascelles (31) and Emil Krafth (30) are both approaching the twilight years of their career.

Newcastle do of course have fan favourite Sven Botman (24) closing in on a return to fitness, but the manner of his ACL injury means Howe will have to ease the defender back into action slowly. As such, the Magpies are in the market for a long-term centre back that can offer the team further solidity and composure when playing the ball out from the back.

Silva is a 21-year-old Portuguese international that has already racked up 106 appearances after progressing the highly-esteemed Benfica academy. He is blessed with great tactical intelligence, incredible vision and the ability to read the game and cut out opposition attacks. These qualities saw him earn a place in the Primeira Liga Team of the Season alongside former Real Madrid star Pepe, Alex Grimaldo, Manuel Ugarte and Goncalo Ramos.

The defender has already won one league title and one cup in his career so far and has been capped 17 times for Portugal at international level, while also making Roberto Martinez’s final squad for last summer’s European Championships.

Silva has been a regular first team starter for Benfica for a number of seasons but has recently slipped down the pecking order behind fellow youngster Tomás Araújo since the appointment of former Wolves boss Bruno Lage.

Football Insider reports that Silva is someone that ticks all the boxes that Newcastle are looking for and adds that the youngster could be available for a figure of around £40-£45m in the near future as Paul Mitchell and his recruitment team ponder making an opening offer.