Liverpool are reportedly in a battle with Arsenal and Manchester United over a deal to sign SL Benfica star Antonio Silva this summer, as per Caught Offside.
With Joel Matip set to leave the club as a free agent, the Reds are reportedly set to prioritise signing a new centre-back as a potential replacement for the African in the upcoming window.
Numerous names have already been linked with a move to Anfield over the last few weeks with Goncalo Inacio, Willian Pacho and Levi Colwill being among them, but Silva is seemingly on their radar as well.
According to the report by Caught Offside, Liverpool have expressed their interest in Silva and they have already held ‘talks’ over a deal to sign him this summer. However, the report claims that purchasing the Portuguese won’t be straightforward for the Merseyside club as Benfica want a fee of around £86m for their star man.
Caught Offside also states that along with Liverpool, Man Utd and Arsenal are also keen on signing him and they have also made ‘contact’ to get this deal done.
Battle
It has been suggested that Silva is prioritising playing in the Premier League if he were to leave Benfica so the defender could be open to joining the Reds, the Gunners or the Red Devils this summer.
Having endured a dire campaign this term, Man Utd are reportedly planning to revamp their backline ahead of next season. It has already been made official that Raphael Varane is set to leave the club at the end of this season, while Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans could also depart over the coming weeks.
On the other hand, it seems Arsenal are also planning to sign a new centre-back this summer as they have been linked with a few names in recent weeks.
Silva is deemed one of the best young defenders in the world so he could be a solid acquisition for Man Utd, Liverpool or Arsenal if any of those clubs purchase him. However, it remains to be seen whether Man Utd, Arsenal or Liverpool can eventually manage to secure Silva’s signature in the upcoming window.
