A former reported target of Newcastle United’s produced one of the cameos of the tournament at Euro 2020 last night.
Portugal were in action against Hungary in the first of only two matches yesterday.
Fernando Santos’ side had a very hard time breaking down their opposition.
It took them 83 minutes to do so in the end.
Raphael Guerreiro scored a deflected effort which was very harsh on Hungary, before Cristiano Ronaldo added a brace.
The 3-0 scoreline was very flattering, and France and Germany will both be feeling good about taking points off them.
One man who had a fantastic impact was Rafa Silva.
He crossed for Guerreiro to score the opener, and was then fouled in the area for Ronaldo to convert the penalty.
He then exchanged passes twice with Ronaldo for his third.
It was a really positive contribution from the 28-year-old, who was reported to be a £15 million target of Newcastle’s in April 2020 (The Sun).
The player’s agent, Antonio Araujo, also previously claimed that Rafa Benitez had wanted Silva at St. James’ Park.
One to keep an eye on
Maybe Silva is someone Newcastle should be keeping an eye on from here on in.
He really changed the game last night for Portugal as they struggled to break down a resolute Hungary defence.
Although primarily a right winger, Silva can operate on the left and through the middle.
That versatility would make him a great option for Steve Bruce.
Under contract until 2024 though, he may not come cheap.
That said, with Benfica having not won the title for two seasons, perhaps he’ll be up for a new challenge.
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