Andre Silva joins RB Leipzig from Eintracht Frankfurt
Portugal international Andre Silva has swapped Eintracht Frankfurt for Bundesliga rivals RB Leipzig on a five-year deal.
Silva hit a club-record and career-best 28 goals in 32 Bundesliga appearances for Frankfurt last season, and was second only to Bayern Munich counterpart Robert Lewandowski in the scoring charts.
The 25-year-old was also on target against 15 of his 17 top-flight opponents last season, with only champions Bayern and runners-up Leipzig missing from that list.
"I'm really excited for the new challenge at RB Leipzig," Silva said after the move was announced on Friday. "The club have big goals and ambitions and I want to help them achieve those, ideally by scoring as many goals as possible. I want to play at the highest level and that is Champions League football - I have the chance to do that on a regular basis at RB Leipzig."
Silva joined Frankfurt on loan from AC Milan in 2019, before signing a permanent deal with Die Adler a year later.
He scored 45 goals in 71 competitive appearances in Eintracht colours, including 40 in 57 Bundesliga outings - something only five players have managed in fewer games.
"I would like to sincerely thank Eintracht Frankfurt," Silva said. "I had two amazing and successful years there and was able to really develop as a player."
Watch: All 28 of Andre Silva's Bundesliga goals in 2020/21
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Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell, meanwhile, said his club had acquired one of the best forwards in the Bundesliga.
"He is a good fit for our team and our style of football both as a person and as a player," Vivell said. "Andre is a proper goal-getter, something his tally of 28 goals from last season demonstrates. He is a complete forward as well, though - he can finish with both feet, he's strong in the air and he's technically gifted.
"We have therefore been able to add a different type of player to our squad who makes us more versatile in attack, makes us less predictable and also carries a serious goal threat."
Silva, who made three substitute appearances during Portugal's run to the UEFA Euro 2020 last 16, joins the likes of Julian Nagelsmann successor Jesse Marsch, defenders Josko Gvardiol and Mohamed Simakan, and forward Brian Brobbey at a new-look Leipzig.
The former Porto and Sevilla forward will link up with his new club in mid-July following his holidays, and could make his competitive debut for Die Roten Bullen in the first round of the 2021/22 DFB Cup on 6-9 August.
A reunion with Frankurt is slated for Matchday 10 of the new Bundesliga season, on 31 October.
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