Chelsea star with 113 international caps eyed for summer transfer by South American giants

Fluminense are interested in Chelsea defender Thiago Silva

According to Globo’s Chegeui Podcast (h/t football.london), Brazilian giants Fluminense are interested in securing the services of Chelsea defender Thiago Silva in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The samba star joined the Blues from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020 and has since emerged as a key player for the club. Silva impressed in the Blues’ Champions League win in 2021 and has largely held the fort as the team’s senior-most centre-back.

In the three years since, Silva has made 114 appearances for Chelsea, scoring five goals and assisting four more. Despite Todd Boehly bankrolling two lavish transfer windows, the Brazilian star remains a key cog in the Blues setup.

What is more impressive is that he has 113 caps for Brazil’s senior team and captained them at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, although that honour is now passed on to Manchester United’s Casemiro. To play for them for so long shows his incredible longevity and class.

At 38, Silva’s career is in its twilight days and he is starting to show his age. However, there could yet be another chapter in his stellar career as boyhood club Fluminense are keen on securing his services.

The Brazilian giants are keen to bring the Samba star back home and would welcome him with open arms. Accepting the offer will see Silva return to his homeland 19 years after he quit Juventude to join FC Porto. It has been a wild journey since, with him winning several trophies and representing some of the biggest clubs in European football.

The veteran has been a vocal opponent of Chelsea’s rather haphazard recruitment strategy under Todd Boehly. With a pivotal summer ahead of us, it might finally be time for us to let the Brazilian go.

Younger recruits like Benoit Badiashile have arrived in recent months while returning loanee Levi Colwill has also grown leaps and bounds. Silva could stay on as a leader of men but his presence could prove to be a barrier to developing young talent.

It is imperative that we part with him on a high and next summer appears to be the best time to do that. He is anyway unlikely to play in the UEFA Champions League again, so it won’t be missing out on much if he leaves Stamford Bridge for South America.

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SIlva might not have been at Stamford Bridge for a long time but he has had a profound impact on our recent successes. The Brazilian will be considered amongst the best defenders to play the game when he hangs up his boots. His time in Europe might be coming to a close, but South American football could prove to be his next sunrise.