Last season, it was a defensive nightmare for Manchester United as they conceded 57 times through the course of the season, eventually finishing with a goal difference of 0.
It was pretty obvious that one of the first tasks on hand for new manager Erik ten Hag was to revamp the porous defence.
And the Dutch boss did just that as he secured the signings of left-back Tyrell Malacia from Feyenoord and Lisandro Martinez from his former club Ajax.
Mixed results for Utd defence
It was not the smoothest of starts as the Red Devils succumbed to back-to-back defeats against Brighton and Brentford with critics pouncing on Martinez’s short stature and blaming the manager for the poor recruitment.
Ten Hag was confident in his players and they soon embarked on a four-match winning streak in the league, which included impressive wins over Liverpool and league leaders Arsenal.
🗞 #mufc scouts watched Benfica’s young defender Antonio Silva against Paris Saint-Germain last week and are taking a big interest in him. United are looking for a quality young defender next summer, Silva has a release clause of around £13m. [@TomHopkinson]
— UtdDistrict 🔰 (@UtdDistrict) October 8, 2022
But things have again begun to unravel as the Reds got thrashed by their noisy neighbours in the Manchester Derby, shipping six goals against City.
That was followed up by a narrow 3-2 win against minnow Omonia Nicosia in the Europa League. Despite the win, question marks were again raised regarding the defence.
Ten Hag knows the importance of keeping things fresh and recruiting for the future.
And that is why United scouts were in attendance during the Champions League game between Paris Saint-Germain and Benfica, closely monitoring the performance of Benfica youngster Antonio Silva.
Silva is only 18 and has a bright future in front of him. He is held in high regard in his homeland with City star Ruben Dias already tipping him to be a future star.
Silva a superstar-in-the-making
According to The Mirror, “Dias is reported to have already asked for a signed shirt from his compatriot, given the expectation around him.”
He has impressed since breaking into the first team and such has been his impact that Benfica are trying to increase his buyout clause which currently stands at a measly £13million.
Silva’s deal at the Stadium of Light runs until 2027 and the Portuguese giants are unlikely to sanction a deal in January. However, if he keeps up his performance levels, a summer move cannot be ruled out.
United are not the only side interested in Silva with Real Madrid reportedly eyeing the 18-year-old.
In recent years, United have failed to secure bargains in the market and a move for Silva would be dubbed a masterstroke considering his age and vast potential.
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