£104m player not 'dazzled' by Man Utd and Liverpool interest, could move to Real Madrid instead

Manchester United and Liverpool are the two giants of English football but both clubs have been accustomed to seeing top talent move elsewhere in recent years.

United's lack of major silverware under successive managers has made them a less attractive destination for players, while Liverpool have sometimes struggled to keep up with the spending of other major clubs.

Both teams have been linked with highly-rated Benfica defender Antonio Silva – but could miss out on signing him.

Silva, 19, has already made 53 senior appearances for Benfica, scoring five goals, and has attracted interest from across Europe including United and Liverpool.

But Portuguese outlet Record (via Sport Witness) claim he has set his sights on a move elsewhere.

It is claimed that even though the defender welcomes the Premier League interest, he isn't 'dazzled' by either club.

He is said to view Real Madrid as the greatest team in Europe and would prefer a move to the Bernabeu.

The report adds that Silva is in no hurry to leave Benfica and is calm about his future.

Meanwhile, the player could prove to be too expensive for both Liverpool and United – particularly in terms of a January transfer.

It is claimed that the player has a €120m (£104m) release clause in his contract with Benfica and it would take a sizeable bid for the Portuguese club to consider selling one of their best young talents.

United are in the market for a new central defender, with Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane currently sidelined through injury and Harry Maguire's future uncertain.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have also been linked with a number of central defenders, although their need to sign one has seemingly lessened following the emergence of Jarell Quansah this season.

Speaking earlier this month, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano tipped Silva for a bright future – wherever that may be.

"Remember the name: Antonio Silva," Romano wrote in his CaughtOffside column.

"He's a top player for the future, of course, he needs some time to improve his skills but Benfica are convinced he will be worth €80-90m in the future.

"I've seen some reports of Liverpool and Manchester United looking at him. For sure, top clubs are following him but it's important to say that there's still nothing serious or concrete, as of now.

"He is still developing as a player, but let's see where he is in a few years, the future looks bright for him."

SPORTbible are on WhatsApp! We've launched a dedicated news channel to send you the latest news, features and plenty more directly on WhatsApp and all you need to do to sign up is click through to our one-way broadcast channel here for 'SPORTbible News' to appear in the 'Updates' tab on your WhatsApp.