Antonio Silva: Bournemouth clinch signing of Portugal international defender from Benfica
Antonio Silva joins Bournemouth in a deal worth up to £25.7m from Benfica; the central defender is viewed as a replacement for Marcos Senesi who left over the summer; Silva played more than 200 games for Benfica and won the UEFA Nations League with Portugal last year
Saturday 1 August 2026 14:18, UK
Bournemouth have completed the signing of Portugal international defender Antonio Silva from Benfica.
The transfer is worth £21.4m plus a potential £4.3m in add-ons.
"I am very happy to be here," Silva said.
"It's a pleasure to play for Bournemouth and in the Premier League. I can't wait to start the season with my team-mates and I'm excited to be here.
- Transfer Centre LIVE! | Bournemouth news & transfers🍒
- Bournemouth fixtures & scores | FREE Bournemouth highlights▶️
- Got Sky? Watch Bournemouth games LIVE on your phone📱
- Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract on NOW📺
"The mentality is always to win. I will try my best, and I will play for the fans.
"We have everything here that helps us perform on the pitch, and I can't wait to get started."
Bournemouth were in the market for a centre-back following the summer departure of Marcos Senesi, with Silva fitting the profile of the kind of player the club were targeting.
Silva has played 237 games for Benfica, despite being only 22-years-old.
He has made 20 international appearances for Portugal, featuring in the 2022 Qatar World Cup at the age of 19.
Silva also represented his country at the 2024 Euros, as well as in the 2025 UEFA Nations League, which Portugal won.
Despite his youth, the defender has won a total of six titles with Benfica and the national team, and was named as the best defender in the 2022/23 Portuguese league season.
Bournemouth were after a good ball-playing centre-back, someone tall and strong defensively. Antonio prefers to play on the left side of the defence, which is the position vacated by Senesi.
The Cherries see Silva as a player with a proven winning mentality as well as European experience.
