Thiago Silva returns to Fluminense in Rio ahead of transfer window

Brazilian defender Thiago Silva, 41, arrived in Rio de Janeiro to begin his third spell with Fluminense. He announced his arrival on Instagram, posting a photo from the plane with the caption “Rio de Janeiro” and the club’s captain emblem.

Silva will join the squad’s training next week, but he will not be eligible to play in the upcoming match against Bragantino on June 16 because the international transfer window does not open until June 20. The club hopes to register him in time for the following rounds of the Brazilian Championship.

The defender previously left Fluminense at the end of last season after a six‑month stint with Porto, where he made 14 appearances. His earlier periods with the club (2006‑2008 and mid‑2024 to 2025) total 212 games and 19 goals, including the 2007 Copa do Brasil title and the 2008 Libertadores final run. Silva’s career also includes spells at Milan, Paris Saint‑Germain, Chelsea and Porto, and he featured in four World Cups for Brazil.