Sporting Lisbon midfielder Adrien Silva has confirmed that he will join Premier League champions Leicester City.
The midfielder, who was part of the Portuguese squad which won Euro 2016, claims he will leave Sporting for the Premier League in a reported £21-million move in the current transfer window, according to SkySports.
The 27-year-old looks likely to follow Sporting team-mate Islam Slimani to the King Power Stadium as Leicester bid to complete a double raid on the Portuguese side.
‘Yes, I confirm this proposal. Leicester is very interesting and corresponds to my career goals,’ Silva told O Jogo.
The Portuguese midfielder believes it is his time to start a new journey in a different league after spending 15 years with Sporting.
‘After the past 15 years at Sporting, this opportunity is something exceptional for me and can allow me to express and impose myself in another championship, and also to evolve in the Premier League, which is a stunning league, he said.
‘I love Sporting as a family and I dedicated myself to the club since I was 12 years old.
‘With Sporting I lived many moments of happiness. I can say that I grew up with the club. At 27 years old, and after so many years of loyalty, I think that no one will criticise me for wanting to embrace this challenge.’
Over the course of his career, Silva managed to score 42 goals and assisted a further 18 from 252 appearances in all competitions playing for the likes ofSporting Lisbon, Maccabi Haifa, and Academica Coimbra.
Image: Sporting Lisbon website