Liverpool Want To Sign €120M 19-Year-Old But There Are Four Problems

Liverpool want to sign Benfica's next superstar, Antonio Silva, but face a host of issues which make it seem distinctly unlikely that they will be the side to sign him.

Jurgen Klopp wants to add more talent to his defensive talent and 19-year-old Antonio has been identified as a player that could be signed to beef the squad up.

Yet, this is a transfer that, if Liverpool were to complete, it would be against all odds.

The four problems with Liverpool signing Antonio Silva

According to Portuguese daily newspaper, Record, signing Antonio Silva is a difficult task.

The first major issue is that Silva dreams of becoming Benfica captain - something Liverpool obviously can't offer him.

If the defender will not leave until that happens, there's no telling when a realistic opportunity to sign him will present itself. Of course, things can change very quickly in football but this may one of those sticking points football clubs cannot overcome with money.

Second on Liverpool's list of problems is that despite interest from them (and Manchester United), he is not seduced by the thought of a move to the Premier League. Many players find the prospect of playing in England's top flight to be something of a bucket list item but not for Silva.

Adding to that, the third issue is that, like many young players, he views Real Madrid as the best club in Europe and Los Blancos are interested as well. Liverpool are one of the many clubs that have learned the hard way that it's very difficult to compete with the allure of playing for Europe's most successful club of all time.

And finally, to cap it all off, Silva's contract with Benfica includes a €120 million release clause which Liverpool are almost guaranteed to be turned off by.

The Reds have resisted the temptation to follow their rivals in becoming a free-spending club and this doesn't seem likely to change for Silva.

Why do Liverpool want to sign a new centre-back?

Joel Matip is set to leave the club at the end of the season, bringing an end to his seven-year stay on Merseyside. His contract expires in June 2024 and so the search to replace him has already started.

The Cameroonian isn't the only Liverpool defender that has been linked with an exit with many calling into question the inconsistent form of Joe Gomez.

Injuries have riddled his career, robbing him of his potential. At one point, he was one of the very best defenders in the world, partnered with Virgil van Dijk.

Now, however, the former Charlton Athletic star is struggling to nail a spot down in Jurgen Klopp's starting XI.

With Gomez only out of contract in 2027, he has plenty of time to prove himself. All he needs is a clean bill of health but only time will tell whether that is possible.

The likes of Goncalo Inacio and Lucas Beraldo have been linked with the Reds but a top target has yet to emerge in the centre-back department.