Despite being 41 years old, Thiago Silva has managed to maintain an imposing level, standing out for his defensive contributions. Surprisingly, the Brazilian reached an agreement to terminate his contract with Fluminense, drawing the attention of AC Milan. Although the veteran had the approval of Zlatan Ibrahimović, an important team figure unexpectedly overruled the Swede, ruling out any possibility, as revealed by legend Antonio Cassano.
Thiago Silva decided to return to Fluminense in 2024 after leading Chelsea to the UEFA Champions League as a key figure. Despite remaining a central presence, the 41-year-old star reportedly chose to leave the club since he wanted to be closer to his family, currently living in London, according to Brazilian media. As a result, the veteran was offered to AC Milan, and while he had Ibrahimović’s approval, Antonio Cassano revealed that a key figure rejected his arrival.
“To Milan fans, I want to say that Thiago Silva didn’t arrive mainly because of Allegri, who vetoed the signing, while Ibrahimovic wanted him. He could have gone. Zlatan had given 100% approval to signing him on a free transfer, even though (Thiago) didn’t ask for a high salary… Thiago, being a high-level person, personally called Allegri, who told him he was looking for a striker,” Cassano revealed, via Viva El Futbol channel.
Following the Rossoneri’s rejection, Silva set course for FC Porto, where he signed a contract through June 2026, with the option to extend it until June 2027. Meanwhile, Coach Allegri struggles to find reliable options in defense, as Matteo Gabbia is injured, while Koni De Winter and David Odogu have yet to fully convince. In that sense, AC Milan reportedly aim to reinforce the defense with a player capable of delivering immediate performance.
Thiago Silva #3 of Fluminense
AC Milan’s Igli Tare reportedly targets key defensive options
While coach Massimiliano Allegri rejected the arrival of Thiago Silva, sporting director Igli Tare is targeting several candidates to reinforce the team’s defense. Although Federico Gatti and Joe Gomez have emerged as potential reinforcements, difficulties in securing their arrival in January 2026 have led the club to consider other important options.
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According to Piero Mazzara of TuttoSport, Igli Tare is considering the possible arrival of Mario Gila, who is shining at Lazio. However, president Claudio Lotto values him at €30–35M, which raises serious doubts. Alongside the Spaniard, Axel Disasi of Chelsea, Niklas Süle of Borussia Dortmund, and Kim Min Jae of FC Bayern Munich have joined the list, reports Gazzetta dello Sport.
Despite several alternatives being considered, AC Milan have yet to find an ideal candidate, as each option mentioned raises some doubt—whether due to salary, performance, or the club’s willingness to let the player leave. Nonetheless, it appears that coach Massimiliano Allegri will obtain a new center-back, raising questions among fans about the real reason behind the rejection of Silva as he could have been good asset until the end of the season.
