AC Milan target Thiago Maia ready for Santos exit

Rio de Janeiro June 4 (IANS) Brazil under-23 midfielder Thiago Maia of Brazilian Serie A outfit Santos has declared he is ready to join a European football club amid reports linking him to AC Milan and Lille.

Maia has a 14 million euro ($15.79 million) release clause which could be paid by the 20-year-old s suitors during the upcoming European summer transfer window according the Diario de S. Paulo newspaper on Sunday.

I m relaxed and I hope to leave on good terms Xinhua news agency quoted Maia as saying by the newspaper.

I m going to talk with my agent my family and with Santos so that everybody is happy. I m more mature and I feel like I m ready to leave.

Maia has made 115 first-team appearances for Santos since being promoted from the club s youth ranks in in 2014.

He has represented Brazil s under-17 under-20 and under-23 national teams and was part of the outfit that won the gold medal for Brazil at last year s Rio Olympics.

--IANS
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