Boost for Juventus as Antonio Silva is relegated to the bench at Benfica | OneFootball

Benfica defender Antonio Silva is seeing little playing time these days, and some consider it a clear sign of an imminent departure, as Juventus prepare to pounce on the situation.

Following the season-ending injuries of Gleison Bremer and Juan Cabal, signing a new defender will be the first order of business for the Bianconeri in the January transfer session. The club’s Football Director Cristiano Giuntoli has already made his stance clear on this particular front.

Moreover, the former Napoli director insisted that the club must be shrewd in their business, as signing quality players in the middle of the season remains a difficult quest.

But while Juventus are being linked with a host of potential profiles, Silva has recently risen to the top of the shortlist. The 21-year-old is a young and promising centre-back who has already amassed valuable experience at club and international levels despite his tender age, thus making him the ideal profile for the role.

(Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images)

And as Tuttosport (via JuventusNews24) explains, the Portuguese defender has been dropped to the bench for the fourth match in a row by Benfica coach Bruno Lage, with the latest omission coming against Arouca last weekend.

The Turin-based newspaper believes it’s a sign that the youngster is leaving the Lisbon-based giants sooner rather than later.

With several top European clubs vying for the player’s services, signing Silva won’t be an easy task for the Old lady. However, the Bianconeri are hoping to take advantage of their solid rapport with his agent Jorge Mendes who orchestrated Francisco Conceicao’s arrival last summer.

Juventus will be looking to strike an initial loan deal in January with the option to sign the Portugal international on a permanent basis at the end of the season.

Silva’s contract with Benfica is valid until June 2027, and it includes a release clause worth 100 million euros.