English Premier League club Bournemouth have announced the signing of Portugal international defender Antonio Silva from Benfica.
The highly-rated 22-year-old centre-back is very experienced despite his age, having made 235 senior appearances for the Lisbon club before completing this transfer.
He has also represented the Portuguese national team 20 times, but was not part of their World Cup squad at the 2026 tournament in North America.
A statement from Bournemouth announcing the move revealed that the player is itching to kick off his time at the Cherries.
"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, Silva told the club's official website.
"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," he added.
Bournemouth President of Football Operations, Tiago Pinto, welcomed his compatriot with excitement.
'PROVEN WINNING MENTALITY'
"Antonio is a player we have admired for a long time and we're delighted to welcome him to AFC Bournemouth," said Pinto, according to a Bournemouth statement.
"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," added Pinto.
Marco Rose's team begin their Premier League season with a tricky away match against Manchester City on 23 August.