Manu Silva

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Jorge and the second or paternal family name is Silva.

Manuel Jorge Silva (born 12 June 2001) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Primeira Liga club Benfica.

Manu Silva

Personal information
Full name	Manuel Jorge Silva
Date of birth	(2001-06-12) 12 June 2001 (age 24)
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	3	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 8 February 2025

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]

Personal life

Manu's father, Jorge Silva, was a former footballer in Portugal.^[8]

Career statistics

As of match played 8 February 2025^[9]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Taça de Portugal		Taça da Liga		Europe		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[b]	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	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0
Career total			73	5	10	0	3	0	11	3	0	0	97	8

1. Appearance in UEFA Europa Conference League
2. Appearances in UEFA Conference League