PSG Transfer News: Thiago Silva Reveals Real Madrid and Barcelona Snub

Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Thiago Silva has announced that he spurned the advances of Spain's top two giants at different stages in his career, snubbing both Real Madrid and Barcelona in recent years.

Speaking to Spanish newspaper AS (via ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan), the 31-year-old confirmed that Los Blancos came in for his services while he was at Fluminense, while Barca made their move following his transfer to Italy six years ago:

"

Before going to Milan I had some personal contacts with Madrid. While at Milan, I had conversations with Barca but they did not firm up due to details. I asked for some important things, but they were not forthcoming. I saw quickly that it was not a good situation for me. With respect to Sandro [Rosell], that option did not come through.

Madrid are a different club to PSG. They are in different moments. We have the same objective -- to respect all the clubs the same. Madrid are one of the best in the world.

"

Silva moved to Milan from his native Brazil in 2009 before being sold to PSG as part of a double deal alongside team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the summer of 2012.

Then-Barcelona president Rosell was unable to get the deal done for Silva, something the club may regret, particularly after former defensive totem Carles Puyol took his leave from the sport in 2014.

The club have since converted Javier Mascherano into a full-time centre-back alongside the likes of Gerard Pique and Jeremy Mathieu, while Thomas Vermaelen has struggled to make an impact since arriving last year.

Rodolfo Molina/Associated Press

The Blaugrana have always been capable of producing prodigious talent in midfield and further forward, but a defensive presence of Silva's elite calibre would undoubtedly have been appreciated in recent campaigns.

Luis Enrique's side have conceded 11 goals in their first eight La Liga games this season—the most of any team in Spain's top six—and the manager said that defensive improvements are a concern, via Corrigan:

That being said, Barca have coped fairly well in the years since missing out on Silva, claiming two La Liga crowns and a Champions League triumph, among other titles.

Silva has been a major success in France, too, winning Ligue 1 in each of the three seasons he's played, but Spanish football writer Sergi Dominguez has opined that the South American is only in Paris for monetary reasons:

Regardless of his motivation, Silva will assuredly feel confident that he left Milan at the right time, considering the Rossoneri have gone from winning Serie A in 2011 to finishing eighth and 10th in their last two seasons, respectively.

The stalwart defender has gone through some recent anguish after falling out of Dunga's Brazil squad, but compatriot Alex, now at the San Siro, claimed that it's a shock to all around the camp, via Squawka:

Silva has two-and-a-half years remaining on his PSG contract and will be on the cusp of turning 34 by the time it reaches its expiration date in 2018, making it likely to be the last major deal of his career.

Nostalgic fans of the three-time UEFA Team of the Year nominee may have liked to one day see Silva line up at the Bernabeu or Camp Nou, but as long as he continues to reign at Parc des Princes, those moves now seem all but impossible.