Eintracht Frankfurt have completed the signing of Colombia international striker Rafael Santos Borre on a four-year deal.
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Eintracht Frankfurt have completed the signing of Colombia international striker Rafael Santos Borre. Borre joins the club on a four-year deal. The 25-year-old was a free agent following four years with River Plate. He scored 56 goals in 149 competitive appearances for the Argentinian giants. Borre is part of Colombia’s 2021 CONEMBOL Copa America squad. He spent two years on the books at Atletico Madrid between 2015 and 2017. However, he did not make a single appearance for the first team.
“Rafael Santos Borre is an interesting player, who already has experience in Europe. He’ll be a real boon for us with his nose for goal and finishing. It’s a great transfer for us, in a sporting and financial sense,” stated Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krosche, indicating his excitement following the signing.
The former Deportivo Cali attacker struck fine form during his loan stint at Villarreal during the 2016/17 campaign. Borre scored four times in 30 appearances, before emerging as a legendary goalscorer for River. The attacker is not only a Copa Libertadores champion in 2018, he also ranks as the club’s leading goalscorer of the modern era.
Borre will look to emerge as a natural replacement for Andre Silva, who has joined rivals RB Leipzig. Silva scored a club-record 28 Bundesliga goals last season. Borre will become the 11th Colombian to play in the German top flight. Hertha Berlin striker Jhon Cordoba and former Bayern Munich playmaker James Rodriguez are some of the players from the nation to play in the Bundesliga.
“I’m really excited for the new challenge at RB Leipzig. The club have big goals and ambitions and I want to help them achieve those, ideally by scoring as many goals as possible. I want to play at the highest level and that is Champions League football – I have the chance to do that on a regular basis at RB Leipzig,” said Silva after the move was finalised and eventually announced.
The 25-year-old further expressed thankfulness towards Eintracht Frankfurt, having joined the club on loan from AC Milan in 2019, before signing a permanent deal with Die Adler a year later.
“I would like to sincerely thank Eintracht Frankfurt. I had two amazing and successful years there and was able to really develop as a player,” added Silva.
The Portuguese attacker scored 45 goals in 71 competitive appearances for Eintracht. This includes 40 goals in 57 Bundesliga outings. Only five players have managed the tally in fewer games.
Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell was full of praise for Silva, terming him as one of the best forwards in the Bundesliga.
“He is a good fit for our team and our style of football both as a person and as a player. Andre is a proper goal-getter, something his tally of 28 goals from last season demonstrates. He is a complete forward as well, though – he can finish with both feet, he’s strong in the air and he’s technically gifted. We have therefore been able to add a different type of player to our squad who makes us more versatile in attack, makes us less predictable and also carries a serious goal threat,” said Vivell.
