Rafa Silva starred for Benfica in 2018/19 campaign with 21 goals. (Getty Images)
Back in May, a report from the Chronicle had claimed Newcastle United were interested in signing Benfica attacker Rafa Silva, but a move didn’t happen during the summer.
Rafa Silva, 26, enjoyed an exceptional season with Benfica as he scored 21 goals in 44 games across all competitions, guiding the club to the league title. That saw him garner a lot of attention over the summer but he chose to stay put at the club.
The Portugal international has started the new campaign well with Benfica and given his consistent performances over the last 15-18 months, Newcastle must reignite interest in him during the winter transfer window.
Newcastle are not going anywhere at the moment, with the club lacking direction under Steve Bruce. They have won just twice in eight games this season, losing twice in the last four games.
The Magpies find themselves in the relegation zone, with several players having struggled to replicate their form from last season under former boss Rafael Benitez.
Attacking reinforcements are a must in January if Newcastle are to avoid the drop from the top-flight. The likes of Joelinton, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron among few have failed to live up to the expectations of the St. James’ Park faithful, leading to the club lacking goals.
A player with equal ability to score as well as create goals will be welcome for the Magpies and Bruce could do a lot worse than sign Rafa Silva.
Silva is a versatile player who can play out wide on the left or right, as an advanced playmaker, and knows where the back of the net is, having been in deadly form last season.
His smart movement in and around the box helps him get into scoring positions and his calm and composed finishing has led to him scoring a lot of goals for Benfica.
The Portuguese boasts blistering pace, which allows him to make some darting runs behind the opposition backline. He has silky dribbling skills, excellent close control and the ability to terrorise defenders with his subtle movement in the final third. Truly, Silva proved his worth last season when he scored and created goals consistently at the top level.
The acquisition of a quality attacker like Rafa Silva would undoubtedly bolster Bruce’s attacking options significantly at Newcastle.
It will be a mouth-watering prospect for everyone associated with the Magpies to witness the Benfica star linking up with the likes of Almiron, Joelinton and Saint-Maximin in the Premier League. All in all, his addition could help Bruce’s side avoid the drop this season.
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