Marquinhos spoke about Thiago Silva’s influence on him and other Paris Saint-Germain defenders during his time at the club.
An experience player, a leader and most importantly, a great defender on the pitch, Silva is certainly one of Chelsea’s best signings this season.
Obviously, Chelsea have had to carefully manage his workload due to his age, but when he is fit, the 36-year-old is one of the first names on the team sheet.
But Silva’s arrival might benefit Chelsea outside his performance on the pitch based on Marquinhos’ recent comment about his former teammate’s influence.
“I love playing with great players. Thiago Silva, it was exceptional to play alongside him,” he told RTL Foot (via Le Parisien).
“I learned a lot of things just by watching him play in training. It was important for my experience.
“We spent good years together. I made good progress alongside him.
“Presko [Kimpembe[ the same. He also took advantage when Thiago was there. We three exchanged a lot to improve, to push each other.”
Chronicle view
At Chelsea, Silva’s arrival has already had a positive impact on a few younger teammates, including Reece James.
Speaking to BBC Sport last month, James said Silva has influenced his career the most this season.
Silva may be slightly more susceptible to fitness problems and will likely miss more games compared to others — his recent seven straight absence is an example.
But if the rest of Chelsea defenders can improve by learning from him, extending his contract will be a risk worth taking.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
