AC Milan have beaten a host of clubs to the signing of Brazilian defender Thiago Silva.
Italians fend off Chelsea for Brazilian
AC Milan have beaten a host of clubs to the signing of Brazilian defender Thiago Silva.
Chelsea and city rivals Inter Milan were also keen on the 22-year-old, but Milan have now to sealed a deal.
The player's agent has confirmed that the Brazil international would be signing his contract at the San Siro within the next few weeks.
"Thiago Silva will be signing his contract at Milan once he gets through his medical exams that will be done next week," said his agent Paulo Tonieto
The player's current club Fluminense had hoped they could keep the player on loan - but Tonieto admitted this was not going to happen.
"There is no chance to have Thiago Silva loaned back to Fluminense because the president of Milan doesn't want that," he said.
Thiago does not qualify for an EU passport so Tonieto admitted he could be forced to train with Milan's B team until the summer.
"There are two chances for Thiago, either he gets a place in the team because a player gets transferred or he will train with the B team until June 2009 when he will be able to be brought into the squad," he said.
Milan confirmation
Milan chief Adriano Galliani confirmed the deal for Thiago was in place.
"The affair has arrived at a really good point," he told
Sky Italia.
"The player will be in Milan on Sunday, and on Monday he will undergo medicals.
"Should everything go positively, we will define the contract."
