Inter to bid $17M for Flu defender Thiago Silva

Inter Milan is ready to table a $17 million offer for Fluminense defender Thiago Silva, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport.

The Nerazzurri had a rather rushed summer transfer campaign, and want to ensure the same thing doesn't happen next year. For that reason, they're already working on their next targets, and one of these is the Fluminense center back.

Thiago Silva is one of Brazil's most highly rated young defenders, and at the age of 24, he is tipped as a future regular in the national team.

The player's agent, Paulo Tonetto, is believed to be on his way to Milan this week in order to sit down with Inter director Marco Branca to talk about a possible transfer.

The Gazzetta claims that Inter is ready to bid $17 million for the defender, but first it must wait for the outcome of a FIFA ruling on an economic dispute between Thiago Silva and his former club, Dinamo Moscow.

Thiago Silva has twice played in Europe, with Dinamo in 2005, and Porto a year earlier, but he struggled on both occasions. He has since returned to his homeland with Fluminense where he has made 135 appearances, but he is keen to make his mark at a top European club such as Inter.