Bournemouth have reached an agreement to sign Benfica defender Antonio Silva in a deal worth up to £25.7m, as the Cherries strengthen their squad ahead of the new Premier League season.
The agreement includes an initial fee of £21.4m, with a further £4.3m in performance-related add-ons. The 22-year-old Portugal international is now travelling to complete his medical before the transfer is finalised.
Silva has been a priority target for Bournemouth as they look to replace Marcos Senesi, who joined Tottenham on a free transfer earlier this month.
Club sources say negotiations required patience, with Benfica only agreeing to the transfer after Thursday's Europa League qualifying victory over Swiss side St Gallen.
The highly-rated centre-back has been a first-team regular since breaking into Benfica's senior side in 2022, gaining valuable experience in the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and FIFA Club World Cup.
Internationally, Silva has earned 20 caps for Portugal and was included in the nation's squads for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2024, although he was left out of Roberto Martinez's squad for this summer's tournament.
The defender is set to become Bournemouth's second signing of the summer, following the arrival of striker Alvaro Rodriguez from Elche in a deal worth up to £25.7m.
Under new manager Marco Rose, Bournemouth are targeting stability after generating more than £200m in player sales last year.
The club also remains determined to fend off interest in key trio Alex Scott, Rayan and Junior Kroupi. However, Kroupi is expected to be sidelined for three to four months after suffering an injury during pre-season training.
