Bournemouth have reached an agreement to sign Benfica center-back Antonio Silva for a deal valued at nearly £26 million. The Portugal international is expected to undergo a medical after the clubs finalized terms for an initial £21.4 million, with an additional £4.3 million contingent on add-ons.
This signing is crucial for Bournemouth as they sought to replace Marcos Senesi, who recently transferred to Tottenham on a free. Club officials indicated that securing Silva required considerable patience, with the agreement finalized only after Benfica's Europa League qualifying victory on Thursday.
Silva, 22, has been a consistent presence for Benfica since joining the first team in 2022, with experience in the Champions League, Europa League, and Club World Cup. He has earned 20 caps for Portugal and was part of their squads for the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024, though he was not selected for the latter tournament.
Silva is anticipated to be Bournemouth's second summer acquisition. Earlier, the club signed striker Alvaro Rodriguez from Elche in a deal potentially worth up to £25.7 million. Under new manager Marco Rose, Bournemouth aims for a stable summer following significant player sales exceeding £200 million last year. The club has stated its intention to resist offers for key players Alex Scott, Rayan, and Junior Kroupi, although Kroupi is facing a three-to-four-month recovery period due to a pre-season training injury.