AC Milan target Thiago Maia 'ready' for Santos exit

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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