LEIPZIG SIGN SILVA FROM FRANKFURT

RB Leipzig have made a big statement after completing the transfer of striker Andre Silva fromfellow German team Eintracht Frankfurt in a €23m deal. The signing was made official by Champions League campaigners Leipzig on Friday.

Portuguese international Silva scored 28 goals in 32 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga and he has penned a five-year deal at new club RB Leipzig. Only Bayern Munich talisman Robert Lewandowski scored more than Silva in the German top flight last season. Polish striker Lewandowski scored 41 goals to set a new Bundesliga record for goals scored in a single season asBayern retained their league title. Apart from Lewandowski, only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo scored more than Silva in the top five European leagues last season.

25-year-old joined Frankfurt from Italian football giants AC Milan two seasons ago and he has scored an impressive 40 goals in 57 Bundesliga appearances since the move from Italian football. He would be hoping to score more goals for new team Leipzig in the German Bundesliga.

Portuguese player Silva has come a long way since his days in the youth teams of SC Salgueiros, Boavista and former European champions FC Porto.

He broke into the FC Porto team five years ago and went on to score 21 goals in 44 matches for the club before leaving for Italian football where he played for AC Milan. Silva signed for Italian football giants Milan in 2017.

Silva spent one season on loan at Sevillaafter largely underwhelming debut season at Milan. He joined Frankfurt shortly after his loan spell at Sevilla. The Portuguese international was a key figure for Leipzig who finished last season in second place behind champions Bayern Munich and also reached the German Cup final before they were beaten by Borussia Dortmund.