Liverpool have completed background checks on a deal to sign a new defender next year, alongside their interest in Goncalo Inacio and Piero Hincapie, according to an update from a reliable correspondent.

Liverpool's form, results, fixtures

In the Premier League, Jurgen Klopp’s side have made an impressive start to the new campaign having won five, drawn two and lost just one of their opening eight fixtures, and this is how that first group of matches have played out so far…

Bournemouth (3-1)

Chelsea (1-1)

Tottenham (2-1)

Newcastle (2-1)

Brighton (2-2)

Aston Villa (3-0)

Wolves (3-1)

West Ham (3-1)

FSG currently have 16 players away on international duty, including the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold with England, Virgil Van Dijk with the Netherlands and Alexis Mac Allister with his World Cup winning nation Argentina.

Next up comes home clashes against Everton and then Toulouse, but this break in domestic action has allowed club chiefs to start assessing their transfer options ahead of 2024.

The Reds will no doubt be keen to improve their centre-back ranks, and one candidate that they have turned their attention towards is Benfica’s Antonio Silva, who has worked his way up through the club’s academy to get promoted to the first-team, where he’s made 53 senior appearances (Transfermarkt – Silva statistics).

Portugal’s international still has another four years remaining on his long-term deal (Benfica contracts), but having emerged as Roger Schmidt’s top-performing defensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Benfica statistics), the 19-year-old has been added to the radar on Merseyside.

Antonio Silva transfer update

Writing in his column for CaughtOffside, Liverpool journalist Neil Jones shared a transfer update on Antonio Silva and confirmed that he is being closely monitored alongside Bayer Leverkusen's Piero Hincapie and Sporting CP's Goncalo Inacio.

He said: “I think it’s clear that centre-back is an area that Liverpool need to look at in 2024. Both Goncalo Inacio and Piero Hincapie have been looked at by Liverpool, as has Benfica’s Antonio Silva, but any move in January would depend, I think, on two factors.

“Bayer Leverkusen, Sporting CP and Benfica all have designs on challenging for league titles, remember, so obtaining key players from them in January won’t be easy. Next summer would be more likely, unless circumstances change.”

Does Antonio Silva have a release clause?

At Benfica, Silva’s contract is indeed believed to include a release clause of £88m, so he won’t come cheap for Liverpool (The Athletic), but if he was to put pen to paper at any stage next year, it would certainly be a massive coup considering what he could bring.

Standing 6 foot 1, Viseu’s native is currently recording a 94.2% pass success rate, which highlights his calmness and composure in possession, but he’s also a rock at the heart of the backline, where he’s averaging four clearances and 3.6 tackles per league game (WhoScored – Silva statistics).

Benfica’s “hero”, as described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has also received recognition for his individual high standard of performances having been named Liga Portugal’s Defender of the Year for 2022/23, and the physical, athletic presence he would provide is exactly what supporters have been calling out for.