Bournemouth has initiated discussions with Benfica to acquire Antonio Silva, a promising Portugal defender, as they seek to fill the void left by Marcos Senesi, who recently departed for Tottenham Hotspur on a free transfer.

The Cherries have identified the 22-year-old Silva as an ideal ball-playing substitute for the Argentina center-back. However, negotiations have hit a temporary pause as Benfica focuses on navigating the Europa League qualifying rounds. The Portuguese club is set to face St Gallen in Switzerland on 23 July, with the second leg scheduled for the following week in Lisbon.

Since breaking into the first team in 2022, Silva has established himself as a key player for Benfica, participating in prestigious tournaments including the Champions League, Europa League, and the Club World Cup. He boasts 20 caps for the national team and was part of Portugal's squads for both the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024, although he was not selected by Roberto Martinez for this summer's tournament.

If the deal materializes, Silva would mark Bournemouth's second signing of the summer, following Alvaro Rodriguez from Elche for a fee that could reach £25.7m. Under the leadership of new manager Marco Rose, Bournemouth aims to stabilize their squad after a significant player turnover, having sold over £200m worth of talent last year. The club remains resolute in resisting offers for key players Alex Scott, Rayan, and Junior Kroupi.