Villas-Boas on Thiago Silva: “It’s a great way to end a magical story” | OneFootball

André Villas-Boas spoke again about the signing of centre-back Thiago Silva as an “extraordinary opportunity”, convinced that the 41-year-old Brazilian defender has everything it takes to be happy in this second spell at FC Porto.

“It was an extraordinary opportunity. His agents offered him to us and everything happened very quickly. We wrapped up the deal fast, because we could hardly believe the opportunity we had been given. For us, it is brilliant to have a player, a leader like him, and to bring him back 20 years later. Many people do not know this, but his career in Europe began at FC Porto. He suffered a lot when he had tuberculosis, so I believe this is a great way to bring a truly magical career to a close,” said the Dragons’ president in an interview with the newspaper ‘Marca’.

As for the commitment to Spanish footballers, namely Samu, Gabri Veiga and Borja Sainz, André Villas-Boas also praised the response they have all given.

“They were different market opportunities. Starting with Samu, it was an important deal that we had to complete within 24 hours. It was an exceptional transfer, not only because of the footballer he is, with his speed, power and physical presence, but also because of the person he is. He is young and has a lot of charisma and energy. Right now, he is injured and we are sad about that. I also believe it is a big loss for Spain, because he has a lot of talent. Gabri [Veiga], meanwhile, was a player we felt had to come to FC Porto. Not only because he is close to Vigo, but also because of his stature and talent. He is performing at an excellent level. I think this is his best season statistically: goals, assists… He wanted to take another step forward in Europe, and being able to bring him from Saudi Arabia was fantastic. We believe in him and are confident he can play in the World Cup with Spain. I am sure that, even though he has not been called up to the senior national team, that is still his dream. Borja [Sainz] had a great debut season at Norwich, caught the attention of our scouts, and we decided to sign him. He went through a very difficult time with the death of his mother, but he is now back to his best. He is a player we like: he embodies the FC Porto spirit and we believe he can succeed here,” said the Dragons’ leader.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.