Antonio Silva is relishing the chance of playing in the Premier League after his reported £25.7m transfer to Bournemouth from Benfica was confirmed on Saturday. 

Silva becomes Bournemouth's second summer signing following the arrival of Alvaro Rodriguez from Elche, and helps fill the gap left by Marcos Senesi's departure to Tottenham. 

The 22-year-old has been a regular for Benfica since breaking into the team four years ago, going on to make 108 Primeira Liga appearances during that time. 

Since his debut for the club in the top flight, Silva ranks second for successful passes (5,792), aerial duels won (218) and clearances (362) within Benfica's squad. 

He also has 20 international caps for Portugal and was selected in their squad for the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024, but missed out on a spot for this summer's tournament. 

But with his move to Bournemouth now complete, Silva is looking forward to linking up with his new team ahead of the beginning of their domestic campaign on August 23. 

"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."

Silva joins a Bournemouth side that conceded 54 goals in 2025-26 under Andoni Iraola, and his arrival will aim to improve the Cherries' defensive options moving forward.

Now under the guidance of Marco Rose, Bournemouth are preparing for their first European campaign after finishing sixth in the Premier League last season, their highest ever placing in the top flight of English football. 

"Antonio is a player we have admired for a long time, and we're delighted to welcome him to AFC Bournemouth," the club's President of Football Operations Tiago Pinto said. 

"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.

"We're excited to see Antonio continue his development here under Marco Rose, and we're confident he'll be an excellent addition to the group."

Bournemouth have also seen several of their current squad linked with a move away this summer, with Rayan, Alex Scott and Junior Kroupi some of the names attracting interest.