Brazil: Thiago Silva Wants To Make History At Milan

Brazilian defender Thiago Silva told reporters that he hopes to become an important figure at AC Milan as he arrived in Italy on Monday to complete a medical and sign a four-year contract with the Rossoneri.

Milan have agreed a €10 million fee with Fluminense for the services of Silva, 24, who will join up with his new team-mates in January, but won't be able to take part in first team activities until next season as Milan have used up all of their non-EU allocation.

The highly-rated defender is excited at the prospect of joining one of Europe's most presitigious clubs and believes that he can make a significant impact at the San Siro in years to come.

"I want be an important figure in the history of AC Milan," he told reporters at Milan airport.

"I would like to be involved immediately, but will have to wait for my chance. In the meantime, I will give my all in training and in the reserve games, as I have a great desire to be a part of this team."

Milan had considered loaning Silva out for the remainder of the current season in order to give him first team football, but have instead elected to keep him at the club to aid his acclimatisation to the Italian game, after experiencing success when they took a similar approach with Alexandre Pato.

Brazil: Global Crisis To Send Hamburg's Neves Back To Fluminense?

Fluminense president Roberto Horcades has suggested that attacking midfielder Thiago Neves could rejoin the club from Hamburg in 2009, as the German club have failed to make any payment for the 23 year old.

Hamburg spent €7.5million to sign the highly-rated Neves over the summer, but with the global financial crisis hitting hard, it seems that Fluminense are yet to receive the fee.

"As of yet, we have received nothing from the sale of Thiago Neves to Germany," Horcades told SporTV

"The Bank of Hamburg, who fund Hamburg football club, have had serious problems due to the world-wide crisis and they have not kept up the payments for Neves.

"For this reason, we are currently studying the situation in the hope of getting Neves back to Fluminense for 2009," he affirmed.

The delay of funds from the sale of Neves also looks likely to see Fluminense fail in their attempts to sign on-loan midfielder Dario Conca on a permanent basis from River Plate.

"I am one of the greatest admirers of Conca," Horcades explained.

"He is a wonderful and well-disciplined athlete. We are not signing Conca simply because it is impossible at this moment in time.

"We do not have the money from the Neves deal and it is not easy to arrange funds, as the world is in a bad shape.

"Conca is still a priority and if we can get him it would be great. However, I don't want to promise something I cannot deliver," he concluded.