Portugal defender Antonio Silva says he is excited to join Bournemouth after signing for the Cherries in a deal worth up to £25.7m.

Antonio Silva is regarded as one of the most promising young centre-backs in Europe Portugal defender Antonio Silva says he is excited to join Bournemouth after signing for the Cherries in a deal worth up to £25.7m. The 22-year-old joins from Benfica where he has been a regular since breaking into the first team in 2022 and has featured in the Champions League, Europa League and Club World Cup. It is a key signing for Bournemouth, who identified replacing Marcos Senesi, following his free-transfer move to Tottenham earlier this month, as a priority. "I am very happy to be here. It's a pleasure to play for Bournemouth and in the Premier League," Silva told the club's website. "I can't wait to start the season with my team-mates 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." Club sources said an agreement was only reached after Benfica's Europa League qualifying-round win over Swiss side St Gallen on Thursday.