Quick Transfer Update: Marco Silvestri sold to Hellas Verona

It’s official.

Marco Silvestri, who joined Leeds United in 2014 from Chievo Verona, has gone back to Italy and Verona, agreeing to a transfer earlier today. Silvestri returns to Italy, where he appeared for Reggiana, Padova, and Cagliari before coming to England. This follows rumors from earlier today that he had left Austria to complete a move to Hellas.

Silvestri was 2nd choice last year to former England number one Rob Green, and with the recent acquisition of Felix Wiedwald, the writing had to be on the wall for Silvestri that he was no longer in the long-term plans of the club. It was hard enough for him to be 2nd choice after being the starter for a number of years at the club, losing out to Green, the ex-Queens Park Rangers, Norwich City, and West Ham United goalkeeper, but when Leeds moved for Wiedwald from Werder Bremen, it became painfully obvious that one of Green or Silvestri would likely be moving on, and with the experience and age of Green, most fans believed that Silvestri would be the one to make way for the German. Oldham’s loan with Bailey Peacock-Farrell was cancelled earlier in the week, and he flew out to Austria to replace Silvestri at training camp.

Hopefully this also means that the rumors of Rob Green leaving the club for greener pastures will be put to bed, but if Green wants guaranteed first team football, he might insist on moving on. Sunderland and Middlesbrough are both looking for first team keepers, with Sunderland’s Vito Mannone transferring to Reading FC earlier today. Both clubs have been linked with a move for Green in the past, and Green may be looking to reunite with Garry Monk at Boro or be given a chance to help Sunderland and another former Leeds United manager in Simon Grayson as the club is in some trouble after being relegated from the Premier League with financial problems and star players such as Jordan Pickford and Jermain Defoe both leaving for Everton and AFC Bournemouth respectively.

Good luck at Hellas, Marco. MOT