Real Madrid’s ongoing defensive struggles have been well-documented this season, with Carlo Ancelotti forced to cope with a depleted squad due to injuries and a lack of depth in central defense.
Real Madrid offered €38 million-rated Portuguese centre-back by superagent
The situation has seen the likes of Antonio Rudiger, Aurelien Tchouameni, and young Raul Asencio fill in at centre-back, but with limited options available, the club has been actively exploring potential reinforcements.
In a surprising turn of events, superagent Jorge Mendes has reportedly offered the services of highly-rated SL Benfica and Portugal defender Antonio Silva to the Spanish giants.
Silva, just 21 years old, has impressed with his maturity and physical presence at the heart of the Benfica defense. Already a regular in the Portuguese national team, Silva has emerged as one of Europe’s most promising young defenders.
Currently in his third season with Benfica, Silva had become a key player under former coach Roger Schmidt.
However, the recent sacking of Schmidt and the appointment of Bruno Lage has seen Silva’s role shift, with the new coach opting for a more experienced pairing of Nicolas Otamendi and Tomas Araujo.
This change has led to questions over Silva’s immediate future at the Portuguese club, which has coincided with Mendes offering the player to Los Blancos.
Despite Silva’s obvious potential and the club’s long-standing interest in the youngster, Real Madrid has decided against pursuing a move for the €38 million-rated defender, at least for now.
With the January transfer window approaching, financial considerations and the increasing competition from rival clubs have made it unlikely that Real Madrid will make any major moves.
Instead, Ancelotti is expected to rely on the imminent return of David Alaba, who is set to resume group training soon.
Although it will take time for the Austrian to regain full fitness, his return will offer Real Madrid some much-needed stability at the back.
In the meantime, Tchouameni and Asencio will continue to be key options for Ancelotti as he looks to manage the defensive crisis.
