Thiago Silva: I never wanted to leave AC Milan

By Mark Doyle

Dec 15, 2013 3:04:00 PM

The Brazil international has once again claimed that he was forced out of San Siro but remains glad that the Italian outfit made a healthy profit on him

Thiago Silva has reiterated that he did not want to leave AC Milan but says that he takes some consolation from the fact that his sale helped balance the club's books.

The Brazil international was offloaded to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2012 for €42 million and he was joined at Parc des Princes just a few days later by another Rossonero, Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Both players have subsequently spoken of their displeasure at being forced out of the door of Milanello but while the manner of his departure does still rankle with him, Thiago Silva can at least understood the club's thinking.

"You must ask those in charge [about the transfer] because I have always said and repeated that I did not want to leave Milan,"  the centre-half told Sport Week.

"Then, however, the club chose to go this way and we found some common ground.

"Certainly, the Rossoneri did a great deal because they bought me for €10 million and sold me for €42m, so, in one sense, I can say that I've given the club a big hand.

"When you sell a player of this class that can make a difference, and I'm speaking not only of myself but also Ibrahimovic, you lose something from a technical point of view.

"What you gain on one hand, you pay for with the other, inevitably. But, ultimately, this choice was accepted by both parties."

Milan are currently struggling in Serie A and owner Silvio Berlusconi has stated that he wants to once again take a more hands-on approach to the running of the club.

Thiago Silva has welcomed the news, particularly as it has at a time when CEO Adriano Galliani is battling for control of the Italian outfit with Berlusconi's daughter, Barbara.

Indeed, when asked who he is supporting, the Selecao skipper stated: "I'm with Berlusconi, because nobody will do for AC Milan what he's done up until now with Galliani.

"Is Barbara the right heiress? I don't know her well enough to have an opinion. I only met her once, when she was with [Alexandre] Pato, at the opening of [Clarence] Seedorf's restaurant." ----------- goal.com