Manchester United target given bizarre red card in 2-0 defeat

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Manchester United are interested in signing Benfica defender Antonio Silva but won’t be impressed with a bizarre red card.

United did eye up potential centre back signings over the summer having agreed to sell Harry Maguire to West Ham United.

Maguire ended up rejecting the move, so United didn’t have the room or funds to go and bring in another centre back.

We would expect to see another defender arrive in 2024 though.

Maguire will surely move on for first-team action whilst Raphael Varane’s injury problems show that he can’t be relied upon consistently.

Manchester United eyeing Antonio Silva

One of the players on United’s radar for 2024 is Benfica defender Antonio Silva.

90Min reported last week that United had scouted Silva in action during the international break as he featured for Portugal.

United appear to be considering a 2024 transfer for Silva, alongside Atalanta talent Giorgio Scalvini.

The 19-year-old has been shining for Benfica and is being backed for a huge future.

United may well believe that Silva can be the long-term partner for Lisandro Martinez given Varane’s injury issues.

Yet if United scouts went to watch Silva in action on Wednesday night, they may have been left a little baffled.

Silva picks up bizarre red card

Benfica hosted Red Bull Salzburg in Lisbon, hoping to get their Champions League campaign off to a strong start.

This was a tricky night for Roger Schmidt’s side, and the pain started with a bizarre Silva red card.

Striker Roko Simic had a strike deflected up and over the Benfica goalkeeper, bouncing towards the goal.

As Silva ran back to try and deny a goal, the ball clipped the crossbar, came down and struck Silva on the hand as he seemed to get his jump all wrong.

The handball denied a tap-in for Karim Konate and Silva was given his marching orders, leading to Benfica suffering a 2-0 home defeat.

This was a truly freak moment for Silva, who joins United in having a rather difficult start to the Champions League campaign.