Chelsea defender Thiago Silva is now 39 years of age, but that did not stop him from putting in an excellent performance against Arsenal yesterday.
The Blues threw away their 2-0 lead, but some of Thiago Silva‘s defending was still top-notch.
According to WhoScored, the centre-back made three tackles in the London derby at Stamford Bridge. Marc Cucurella was the only Chelsea player to record more with five.
Chelsea supporters are now calling for Silva to be handed a new contract, with his current one expiring at the end of the season.
One fan posted on X: “New contract extension for Thiago Silva.”
Another said: “Please give Thiago Silva a new contract.”
He has been an extremely important player for Mauricio Pochettino this season, starting in all nine of Chelsea’s Premier League games so far.
Chelsea already planning for life after Thiago Silva
As much as Chelsea fans would love for Silva to remain at Stamford Bridge, it looks like the club are already thinking about a future without the Brazil international.
According to TEAMtalk, the Blues have identified Sporting Lisbon’s Ousmane Diomande as a potential successor to Silva.
It is normal, as the former Paris Saint-Germain captain turns 40 next year. However, Chelsea should not be too quick to get rid of him.
He is still getting the job done, with Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher claiming that the centre-back is proving that age is just a number.
If Silva does leave west London at the end of the season, Chelsea will still have options. Going into the 2024/25 season, Pochettino should still have Levi Colwill, Axel Disasi, Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile at his disposal, while it looks like there is a possibility of Diomande joining that quartet.
But if Silva does depart, they are going to lose a lot of experience and a real leader.
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