Silva: Barca don't need me

Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva dismissed suggestions that he could have secured a move to Barcelona instead of joining the French side.

Silva left AC Milan last month and joined the Ligue 1 side alongside team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Milan had tied him down to a long-term contract just a week before the move amidst concerns that the Parisian side as well as Barcelona were preparing bids to prise him away from the San Siro.

The Brazilian eventually chose to join the noveau riche side from France but he insists that he is not concerned by losing out on an opportunity to join the four-time European champions.

"My contract is with PSG and I hope to succeed there as I had in Milan," he said at a press conference in London.

"Barcelona is a great team. But Barcelona has lived without Thiago Silva to today and Thiago Silva is not part of Barcelona."

The Brazil international is currently with the national under-23 squad which is participating in the Olympics.

Silva remains focused on achieving a gold medal with the team and has indicated that he has not been in touch with his new employers.

"I am focused on the Olympics.

"I haven't been there [Paris] yet, I only signed the contract in a hotel in Rio de Janeiro. I had no further contact with anyone at the club. I know Leonardo and [Carlo] Ancelotti."

Silva and his compatriots have reached the last four of the Olympics men's football tournament and will take on South Korea in the semi-final on Tuesday.