Football
ESPN staff 7y

Liverpool one of five clubs keen on Santos midfielder Thiago Maia

Liverpool are one of five European clubs interested in signing Santos midfielder Thiago Maia, sources have told ESPN Brasil.

The sources said Monaco, Schalke, Napoli and Zenit St Petersburg are the others interested in 19-year-old Maia.

Zenit are the only club to have made an offer so far, according to the sources, but their €18 million bid was rejected.

Asked about the report, Thiago Maia told ESPN Brasil: "I'm on vacations. It was a busy year, but very important for my career. I won a gold medal in the Olympics.

"In Santos we had a regular season, we won the Campeonato Paulista [regional championship] title and stayed in second place on Campeonato Brasileiro.

"Finally, now I want to take a rest and let the people who take care of my career and my club decide if it is the moment for a transfer.

"If I stay, the supporters can rest easy because I will repeat the good season, fight to win the Libertadores and be a champion."

Maia won the Campeonato Paulista (regional championship) with Santos and was named in the competition's Team of the Year, as well as helping Brazil to win gold at the Rio Olympics.

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