AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - OCTOBER 23: Rafa Silva of Benfica in action during the Group E match of the UEFA Champions League between Ajax and SL Benfica at Johan Cruyff Arena on October 23, 2018 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Back in April, a report from The Sun (h/t Chronicle Live) had claimed that Newcastle United were interested in signing Benfica playmaker Rafa Silva. It was reported back then that the Magpies had been lining up a £15million bid for the Portuguese international, although Benfica’s valuation of the player stood close to £25million.
However, nothing came of those rumours and Newcastle eventually turned their attention to other targets in the summer. Meanwhile, Silva has continued to strengthen his credentials as a quality creative player in his homeland, contributing greatly to Benfica’s strong start to the 2020-21 campaign.
Rafa Silva rose through the youth ranks of FC Alverca in his homeland before completing his development at Feirense, where he also had his first taste of professional football in the Portuguese second-tier.
The versatile attacking midfielder was then snapped up by Braga in 2013 and he went on to register an impressive tally of 25 goals and 17 assists in 126 appearances, winning the 2015-16 Taca de Portugal in the process.
The 27-year-old eventually completed a move to Benfica in 2016 and has since evolved into one of the best creative players in the Primeira Liga. Silva has won the domestic title in Portugal twice – first in 2016-17 and then in 2017-18 – with the latter involving a career-best league tally of 17 goals.
Silva has plundered an astonishing 39 goals and 24 assists in 143 appearances for Benfica while also earning 18 international caps for Portugal. He has represented his nation at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2016, and 2018-19 UEFA Nations League, winning the latter two tournaments.
Callum Wilson has already started to justify his hefty price tag with 4 goals and an assist in 6 league games for Newcastle so far. The England international has been very well complemented by Allan Saint-Maximin, who recently penned a new six-year deal at Tyneside after a promising start to the campaign.
Wilson’s ex-Bournemouth teammate Ryan Fraser, though, has endured a slightly lacklustre start to his career at Newcastle after joining the Magpies on a free transfer. The Scotsman has struggled to make a big impression, starting only one out of Newcastle’s first six games in the Premier League this season.
It remains to be seen whether Steve Bruce manages to get the best out of Fraser in the coming months. Regardless of that, however, Newcastle shouldn’t hesitate to make further additions to their attack when the transfer window reopens in January.
The likes of Miguel Almiron and Joelinton just haven’t offered enough in terms of end product in the final third over the past 12 months, thus epitomising the need to bring in further reinforcements.
To that end, the Magpies need to look no further beyond one of their summer targets, Rafa Silva, if Bruce opts to bring in another attacking midfielder in January. Essentially a left-sided wide player, the Portuguese international is capable of playing in multiple positions across the midfield and final third. Such versatility will surely hand a significant boost to Newcastle’s dynamics.
Add to that the 27-year-old’s glowing track record of goals and assists, and it’s easy to see that he would be an instant upgrade on the likes of Almiron and Joelinton. Silva has backed up his impressive returns in the Primeira Liga with some quality displays in European competitions over the years. That clearly suggests he is ready to make the step up to a more competitive league.
Rafa Silva still has several years remaining in his prime at 27. It’s a no-brainer that he would be an upgrade on Newcastle’s existing attacking options given his exploits at the club and international level.
The Portuguese international is unlikely to come cheap – he has a contract until 2024 and is one of Benfica’s prized assets. But Newcastle shouldn’t hesitate to go all out in their pursuit of the versatile playmaker come January.