Portuguese midfielder Rafa Silva continues living a nightmare at Benfica, where he just can’t have enough minutes this season.
Bought in a €16m deal last year, the player couldn’t impress in his first season, but now things have got worse, with only eight appearances since the summer.
Benfica played an alternative team against Basel for the Champions League this Tuesday, as they were already eliminated and wanted to give some players a chance. But it still wasn’t enough to take Rafa Silva from the bench.
Now as newspaper A Bola lists the ‘players with clear market devaluation’, Silva is right in the middle… which of course brings Wolves to mind.
This should be a clear message to Wolves, who were linked to the player this season and could find a chance to take him soon.
With a good relationship with Benfica, the Championship side should have no problems convincing Rafa, as there are already several Portuguese players succeeding at the club, besides a Portuguese manager.
By ‘devaluation’, A Bola makes it clear that Silva is very unlikely to leave for the same price paid by Benfica, which would raise Wolves’ chances as well.
But as the word in Lisbon seems to be that a loan is the best way out, maybe it would be wiser for the Wolves to try this kind of deal first, with a buying option for the future.
Speaking to Sport Witness last month, Rafa’s agent Antonio Araujo didn’t want to comment on the rumour, saying “We’re in a moment of great definition”.