Hamburg add edge with Thiago Neves

UEFA Cup contenders Hamburger SV have signed Brazilian international attacking midfielder Thiago Neves from Fluminense FC for an undisclosed fee.

'High quality'
The 23-year-old has penned a five-year-contract running until summer 2013 and is due to undergo his medical on Sunday morning. "Thiago Neves is a young player who has created much buzz in Brazil not only at a national level but also in the Copa Libertadores," said Hamburg sporting director Dietmar Beiersdorfer. "He will give impetus to our attacking game with his creativity and goalscoring attributes." Club chairman Bernd Hoffmann added: "This transfer gives us a playmaker of high quality for the next five years."

Olympic duty
Thiago Neves represented his country at the Beijing Olympics in China where he played five matches to help Brazil win the bronze medal in the men's football tournament. His performances for Fluminense, where he scored 13 goals in 38 league games, also gained him a full Brazil cap earlier this year in the 1-0 win against Sweden in March. HSV meet Romania's AFC Unirea Urziceni in the first round of the UEFA Cup.