AC Milan’s path to signing Antonio Silva will not be straightforward after all, as Benfica have put up strong resistance already.
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La Gazzetta dello Sport report this morning that the meeting between agent Jorge Mendes and Benfica hasn’t resulted in Milan getting the green light to sign Antonio Silva. It’s not a definitive no, but for now the Portuguese club want to get him to renew his deal, and certainly won’t sell at €20m.
A roadblock
Silva has a contract with the Portuguese club valid until June 2027. Benfica made him an offer in mid-May, but the player naturally wants to explore the market this summer, and the option of joining Milan is highly intriguing, especially with Ruben Amorim in charge.
For now, however, the Lisbon club are holding onto him. President Manuel Rui Costa and sporting director Mario Branco reiterated to Mendes yesterday that they don’t want to negotiate a lower price. It could be strategy, but new manager Marco Silva has stressed a desire to work with Silva.
In the past, Benfica fans have often pressured the club to avoid selling their star players for what they deem unfair prices. This has also emerged in recent weeks regarding another talented player, Norwegian Andreas Schjelderup, who has closed the door on a contract renewal.
If Schjelderup’s contract expires in 2028, Antonio Silva’s contract remains for just one year. This puts Benfica in an awkward position: either the defender extends his contract in the coming weeks, perhaps with the promise of a future transfer, or they risk losing him for free.
This is why Milan are not too worried. The more days pass, the worse it gets for Benfica. Even Silva himself would like to have a clear future as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the Rossoneri transfer market leaders are obviously interested in other names for the centre-back role.
It’s also possible that the Rossoneri could also try two for signings in defence, especially if Fikayo Tomori leaves, although it’s premature to draw such conclusions before the new coach has seen the squad in action at Milanello.