Club ready Thiago Silva offer after Chelsea exit twist - Sources

By Pete O'Rourke, Transfer Correspondent

22nd Oct, 2023 | 7:30am

Sources: Club ready Thiago Silva offer after Chelsea exit twist

Brazillian giants Fluminense are ready to offer Chelsea defender Thiago Silva the chance to return to his homeland, sources have told Football Insider.

Football Insider revealed on Friday (20 October) that Silva, 39, is now increasingly likely to leave the Blues at the end of the season.

The veteran is in the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge.

Silva has never hidden his desire to return to Brazil and is now in the twilight years of his career.

The defender currently earns a reported wage of £110,000 a week, and Blues chiefs have identified next summer as a good time to get that outlay off the wage bill.

Chelsea are keen to further ramp up their recruitment of young players in order to develop their talent.

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Furthermore, the Londoners are happy to let Silva depart despite his status as a firm fan favourite.

Club chiefs believe the likes of Levi Colwill, Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana will provide adequate cover in future seasons.

Silva has started and played 90 minutes in each of their Premier League fixtures so far this season while being rested in the League Cup.

He penned an extension in February of this year but is now expected to quit at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

The 39-year-old joined Chelsea on a free transfer in 2020 and won the Champions League in his first season at Stamford Bridge.

He has racked up 126 appearances during his time with the Blues.

Silva previously played for Fluminense from 2006 to 2009, making 82 appearances across all competitions.

The veteran left his boyhood club for AC Milan to launch a vastly successful career in Europe.

In other news, Chelsea to launch stadium plan after £80million deal agreed.