Fábio Silva: Porto intend to make Atlético target a record transfer
The 17-year-old forward has been attracting interest from across Europe but Porto intend to hold out for more than Atlético paid for Joao Félix.
Porto teenager Fábio Silva is generating great expectations in Portugal but any club who thinks they may be able to land the 17-year-old forward for a scrooge-like fee are in for a rude awakening after Jorge Nuno Pinto da Costa managed to sign the youngster up to a new deal that could make him the most expensive Portuguese transfer of all time.
The Porto president announced on Thursday that Silva had agreed to a new deal at the Estádio do Dragão with a minimum release clause of 125 million euros included – the highest-ever in the Portuguese league. It is not known when the forward’s new contract runs until, but his previous deal was due to expire in 2022. Porto made the move after interest from Atlético Madrid, who were keen to take advantage of the previous 25m clause in Silva’s agreement with the Portuguese club.
Fábio Silva Porto's youngest-ever scorer
Atlético smashed the Primeira Liga record just last summer when signing Joao Félix from Benfica for 126m, despite the Portugal international’s clause standing at 120m. If anyone intends to test Porto’s mettle over Silva, it will take a similar fee of even more.
Porto have been gradually bedding the under-19 international into the starting XI, mostly with domestic cup appearances, but Silva has played in the Portuguese top flight and bagged his first goal in a 3-0 win over Famalicão last month, becoming the youngest scorer in Porto’s history.