"He's the perfect replacement for Thiago Silva." Enzo Maresca identifies €100M defender as perfect replacement for Thiago Silva.

Chelsea are reportedly keen on signing 20-year-old Benfica defender Antonio Silva, who is likely to cost a premium this summer.

A report from Fichajes has stated that Chelsea are willing to pay around €100 million for 20-year-old Benfica central defender Antonio Silva.

The Portuguese international is seen as the ideal replacement for Thiago Silva, who has left the club for childhood side Fluminense.  

Chelsea have been quite vulnerable defensively this season, and they have conceded 41 goals in 25 league matches. They will have to tighten up at the back if they want to get back into the Champions League and compete for trophies once again. Signing a talented young defender should be a top priority for them in the summer. Silva will certainly be attracted if a Premier League club comes calling in the summer.

Even though Chelsea are likely to miss out on Champions League qualification, they are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and the opportunity to join them can be hard to turn down. Silva will look to test himself in the Premier League and prove his qualities at a higher level. It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

The young defender has been linked with other Premier League clubs in recent months as well, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up eventually.

The Benfica man has a €100m release clause in his current deal.

According to Fichajes, Chelsea have “put their sights” on Silva and see him as a perfect player to help them in their bid to return to the top.

HOW GOOD IS ANTONIO SILVA: 

Silva is a typical modern day ball playing central defender, making him a great fit for Chelsea. Although the Portugal international predominantly lines up on the right, he has the technical ability and maturity to also play on the left side if needed.  

 

One of Silva’s greatest strengths is his understanding of space and reading of the game. He manages to get himself in the right position to stop dangerous attacks from developing. 

The right-footed defender is also very comfortable carrying the ball through open space and creating overloads from defence. His 0.90 Progressive Carries per 90 rank him amongst the best centre-backs in the league. 

 

Last thing to note is his aerial ability. An aerial win rate of 61.3% is not outstanding, but four of the five goals he scored last season were with his head, making him a real threat from set-pieces.  

 

According to WhoScored, Silva has no major weaknesses - a rare feat for someone so young. But there are a few areas he must improve on to establish himself on the highest level.  

 

A step up to the Premier League will be a big challenge for him but he certainly seems to have a solid foundation to become a success in the league. 

Player stats Culled from WhoScored.com