Manu Silva
Portuguese footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Manuel Jorge Silva (born 12 June 2001) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Primeira Liga club Benfica.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Manuel Jorge Silva | ||
| Date of birth | 12 June 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Benfica | ||
| Number | 16 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2009–2012 | União de Lamas | ||
| 2012–2020 | Feirense | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2023 | Feirense | 29 | (2) |
| 2023 | Vitória Guimarães B | 2 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | Vitória Guimarães | 39 | (3) |
| 2025– | Benfica | 8 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 00:59, 18 January 2026 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Silva is a youth product of União de Lamas and Feirense. He was promoted to the senior Feirense side in the summer of 2020. He made his senior and professional debut with Feirense in a 2–0 Liga Portugal 2 loss to Sporting Covilhã on 7 August 2021.[1] On 24 May 2022, he renewed his contract with the club.[2] He transferred to Primeira Liga side Vitória SC on 30 January 2023 until 2027.[3]
On 20 January 2025, Silva joined fellow Primeira Liga club Benfica, signing a contract until June 2030, for a reported transfer fee of €12 million, which could rise to €14 million with add-ons, and Vitória keeping a 20% sell-on fee.[4] Five days later, he made his debut for the Eagles, coming off the bench in the final minutes of a 3–1 league defeat away at Casa Pia.[5] The following week, he started in a 3–2 away victory over Estrela da Amadora.[6] However, on 8 February, in a league clash at Estádio da Luz against Moreirense, Silva suffered a complete anterior cruciate ligamente tear on his left knee, which kept him sidelined for several months.[7] He returned from injury on 25 November 2025, coming on as a substitute for the final minutes of a 2–0 away victory over Ajax at the UEFA Champions League league phase.[8]
Personal life
Manu's father, Jorge Silva, was a former footballer in Portugal.[9]
Career statistics
- As of match played 17 January 2026[10]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Feirense | 2020–21 | Liga Portugal 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22 | Liga Portugal 2 | 17 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 21 | 2 | |||
| 2022–23 | Liga Portugal 2 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 0 | |||
| Total | 29 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 2 | ||||
| Vitória Guimarães B | 2022–23 | Liga 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Vitória Guimarães | 2022–23 | Primeira Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | Primeira Liga | 23 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | — | 29 | 2 | ||
| 2024–25 | Primeira Liga | 15 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10[a] | 3 | — | 28 | 4 | ||
| Total | 39 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 3 | — | 58 | 6 | |||
| Benfica | 2024–25 | Primeira Liga | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2025–26 | Primeira Liga | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 78 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 105 | 8 | ||
- Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League