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Werder close on Silvestre deal

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Werder Bremen have confirmed they are close to signing former France international Mikael Silvestre.

Ex-Man United and Arsenal defender bound for Bundesliga

Werder Bremen have confirmed they are close to signing former Manchester United and Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre. The 33-year-old full-back is a free agent after his contract expired at Arsenal at the end of last season. Werder's sporting director Klaus Allofs has revealed negotiations are progressing well and Silvestre is thought to have been in Genoa to attend Tuesday's UEFA Champions League play-off against Sampdoria. Werder claimed a 5-4 aggregate win after extra-time to seal their place in the group stage for the sixth time in seven seasons.

Promising

"We are in promising talks to reach an agreement over the arrival of Mikael Silvestre at our club," Allofs told Kicker. The German side are in need of defensive reinforcements having lost 4-1 to Hoffenheim in their opening game of the Bundesliga season last weekend. Silvestre joined United from Inter Milan in 1999 and spent nine years at Old Trafford, making 361 appearances and winning four Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup. The former France international joined Arsenal for an undisclosed fee in 2008, making 26 appearances for the Gunners before leaving this summer.

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