AFC Bournemouth are delighted to announce the signing of Portugal international António Silva from Benfica.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT:

AFC Bournemouth are delighted to announce the signing of Portugal international António Silva from Benfica.

The 22-year-old centre-back arrives on the south coast having established himself as one of Europe's most highly rated young defenders, combining significant experience at the highest level with an impressive list of honours for club and country.

A product of Benfica's renowned academy, Silva has made 235 senior appearances for the Portuguese giants, playing a key role in the club's domestic success while gaining extensive experience in European competition.

Despite his age, Silva has already represented Portugal on 20 occasions and has featured at some of international football's biggest tournaments, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup as a 19-year-old, the UEFA European Championship and the UEFA Nations League.

During his time with Benfica and Portugal, Silva has collected six major honours and was named the Primeira Liga Defender of the Year for the 2022/23 season.

Silva becomes the latest addition to Marco Rose's squad ahead of the club's 2026/27 campaign, strengthening the defence with a player who has consistently performed under the pressure of competing for major honours.

AFC Bournemouth President of Football Operations, Tiago Pinto, said: "António is a player we have admired for a long time and we're delighted to welcome him to AFC Bournemouth.

"Despite being only 22, he has already built an outstanding level of experience at one of Europe's biggest clubs, playing consistently in domestic, European and international competitions. Those experiences have helped shape him into a defender with real maturity and leadership qualities.

"He is ambitious, has a proven winning mentality and knows what it takes to compete for trophies. Those are the characteristics we want to bring into this football club as we continue to build a squad capable of competing at the highest level.

"We're excited to see António continue his development here under Marco Rose and we're confident he'll be an excellent addition to the group."

Silva said: "I am very happy to be here. It's a pleasure to play for Bournemouth and in the Premier League. I can't wait to start the season with my teammates and I'm excited to be here.

"The mentality is always to win. I will try my best, and I will play for the fans. We have everything here that helps us perform on the pitch, and I can't wait to get started."

Everyone at AFC Bournemouth would like to welcome António to the club and wishes him every success in a Cherries shirt.