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While the Harry Maguire renaissance continues at Manchester United, that has seemingly not stopped manager Erik ten Hag seeking out potential defensive additions that could be made to bolster the backline next year.
With it having not been too long ago that Maguire – who has now started nine successive Premier League games – looked to be on his way out of Old Trafford after being stripped of the captaincy, it would suggest that the England international is not a long-term solution at the heart of the defence, even despite his recent run in the side.
With that in mind, reports have emerged regarding United’s interest in a handful of more youthful targets who could arrive in 2024, with the club said to be showing a particular interest in Benfica sensation, Antonio Silva.
Man Utd transfer news – Antonio Silva
As reported by Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg last week, the 20-year-old is considered a “top target” for Ten Hag and co ahead of next year’s summer window, with the Portuguese talent being eyed up alongside Nice star, Jean-Clair Todibo.
Any deal for Silva is unlikely to come cheap as far as United are concerned, however, with Plettenberg previously revealing that the youngster has a €100m (£86m) release clause in his current contract that comes into play next year.
The transfer insider has provided some positive news though, after suggesting that the 6 foot 2 titan is likely to leave his current side at the end of the season, despite having a deal that runs until 2027.
The Red Devils did, of course, raid the Lisbon giants in order to sign Victor Lindelof back in 2017 and could well repeat that transfer swoop to acquire a perfect replacement for Raphael Varane at the Theatre of Dreams.
How Antonio Silva compares to Raphael Varane
Having been reduced to a watching brief in recent weeks by Ten Hag, there are indications that Varane may depart Manchester either in January or over the summer, with the four-time Champions League winner having slipped behind the likes of Maguire in the centre-back pecking order.
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While the World Cup winner does offer a wealth of experience, too often has he proven unreliable due to his repeated injury woes, hence the need to snap up a suitable successor in the form of young Silva.
Despite his relative youth, the latter man does have his own strong pedigree having notably kept the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar “quiet” when facing Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last season, in the words of Portuguese football expert, Alex Goncalves.
Goncalves stated as such following the 1-1 draw between the two clubs back on 5 October 2022, with Mbappe – who led the line that night – notably winning just one of his five duels and losing possession 15 times from just 45 touches, having also failed with both of his attempted dribbles, as per Sofascore.
The then-teenage Silva, meanwhile, looked rather composed despite the wealth of attacking talent he was up against, winning two of his three duels, making three clearances and providing one key pass on the night.
That latter stat indicates the beauty of the emerging ace as he is particularly adept at playing out from the back, having averaged 1.20 progressive carries per 90 across the last year, ahead of what Varane has achieved for United (1.01 progressive carries per 90).
Statistical record across the last 365 days |
||
---|---|---|
Selected stats (per 90) |
||
Pass completion |
88.0% |
91.9% |
Progressive passes |
4.21 |
4.11 |
Progressive carries |
1.01 |
1.20 |
Tackles |
0.97 |
2.20 |
Interceptions |
0.59 |
0.97 |
Blocks |
1.14 |
1.39 |
Stats via FBref |
As is evident in the table above, Silva has also outperformed the Frenchman in a range of other metrics, including in his defensive actions, thus ensuring that Ten Hag could be able to acquire more of an all-round package if a deal is to be agreed.
While any deal is likely to come at a substantial cost, if United are to ditch the £340k-per-week Varane any time soon, then the Benfica gem could be an ideal option.
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