Thiago Silva is set to leave AC Milan and sign with French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). On Monday, the Brazilian defender landed in Paris with hopes of finalizing a £40.3 million ($62.6 million) transfer, according to Football Italia.

"SportMediaset are now reporting that a deal between the club and Silva has been agreed, with the Brazilian allegedly set to be handed a €9m-a-season ($11.3 million) contract in the French capital, doubling his current San Siro salary," the report says.

"Meanwhile, the Rossoneri are set to receive a €50m fee to hand over his registration to the Parisians, which would be five times the amount the Italians paid Fluminense for him in 2009."

The 27-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the world. He became an automatic starter upon making the move to Italian soccer, and led Milan to the Serie A title in 2010-11. Silva is a complete defender — strong, fast, good in the air, an assured tackler, good with the ball at his feet.

If the transfer is completed for the quoted fee, Silva would become the most expensive defender in world soccer history. In 2002, Rio Ferdinand joined Manchester United from Leeds United for around £30 million ($46.5 million).

Silva's long, strange journey in European soccer included stops in Portugal (with FC Porto) and Ukraine (Dynamo Kiev) that were blighted by injuries and illness. He returned to Brazil and rose to prominence at Fluminense. It was there that he caught the attention of AC Milan.

The transfer would represent a coup for PSG. FC Barcelona and Manchester City were reportedly interested in signing him, but they were told Milan was not willing to sell its star defender.

But former Milan bosses Carlo Ancelotti (who left for Chelsea before Silva arrived) and Leonardo (an executive with Milan when Silva joined the club) are in charge at PSG. It is undoubtedly their influence that is behind Silva's seemingly imminent move to Paris.

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Photo via Instagram/thiagosilva_33