Real Sociedad signs Portugal forward Silva on loan from Leipzig for Champions League return

SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain (AP) — Real Sociedad signed Portugal forward André Silva from Leipzig on Wednesday on a season-long loan with an option to buy, adding depth to the Spanish team's squad for its first Champions League campaign in a decade.

Silva strengthens a Sociedad team which had a setback last week when 37-year-old Spain great David Silva announced his retirement after suffering a severe knee injury in training for the new season.

There are questions over Andre Silva's fitness after so far spending pre-season in Madrid recovering from a thigh muscle injury.

Sociedad is in the group stage of the Champions League for the first time since 2013-14 after placing fourth in the Spanish league last season.

André Silva played for Porto, AC Milan and Sevilla before a breakout season with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2020-21, when he scored 28 Bundesliga goals in 34 games. Silva moved to Leipzig after that but couldn't replicate the same form, with 26 goals in 95 games in two seasons across all competitions. He lost out on game time after Timo Werner became the preferred center-forward. Leipzig has also signed promising youngster Benjamin Šeško in that position for the upcoming season.

The 27-year-old Silva has 19 goals in 53 games for Portugal.

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