Ruben Amorim hasn’t even fully settled into the AC Milan job yet, and already the rumor mill is churning about who he’ll bring with him. The Portuguese coach, officially appointed to lead the Rossoneri through a 2026/27 rebuild, is reportedly looking to tap into his deep knowledge of the Liga Portugal talent pool. And the first name on everyone’s lips? Benfica center-back António Silva.
According to reports from Italian outlet Gazzetta, Amorim has a shortlist of reinforcements drawn up, and the 22-year-old Portugal international is very much on it. But here’s the interesting part: Silva apparently isn’t the top defensive target. That honor goes to Gonçalo Inácio, a player Amorim knows intimately from their time together at Sporting. The thinking is that Inácio’s familiarity with Amorim’s system makes him the safer bet for a quick transition. Silva, meanwhile, is being viewed as a high-level alternative if that deal falls through.
Silva is currently under contract with Benfica until June 2027, and his release clause sits at a hefty €100 million. The Lisbon club is trying to lock him down with a new deal, but no agreement has been reached yet. For now, Silva is reportedly focused on pre-season preparations with Benfica while waiting to see how things play out on the extension front.
More Portuguese Connections in the Mix
Amorim isn’t stopping at defensive options. The rumor mill also has him tracking Sporting winger Francisco Trincão and PSG forward Gonçalo Ramos, another Benfica academy product. It makes sense, honestly. When a new manager comes in, he wants guys who already speak the language — both literally and tactically. Trincão has had a resurgence at Sporting under Amorim’s successor, and Ramos has been solid at PSG even if he hasn’t consistently started every match.
None of this is official yet, of course. Milan has not confirmed any of these targets, and clubs typically keep their transfer business quiet until the ink is dry. But the pattern is clear: Amorim is leaning hard on his Portuguese roots to reshape a Milan squad that needs a serious injection of energy and identity after a disappointing stretch.
Silva, for what it’s worth, is a talented young defender with good positional sense and composure on the ball. He’s already got 17 caps for Portugal and played a role in their Euro 2024 campaign. But his next step — whether that’s a new contract at the Estadio da Luz or a move to San Siro — will depend on a lot of moving parts. Milan’s financial situation isn’t boundless, and €100 million is a lot for any club to stomach for a center-back, even one with his potential.
For now, it’s all speculation. But the fact that Amorim is already circling familiar names tells you one thing: he’s not messing around with this rebuild.
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