Chelsea are close to agreeing a new contract for Thiago Silva which will see him remain at the club until 2024 and until he is close to 40 years old.
The 38-year-old Brazilian joined the club after he was deemed too old for Paris Saint Germain, and has quickly established himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League in spite of his age.
After winning the Champions League with the Blues, something that he never managed with his former side, he has been a standout this season despite Chelsea’s poor form, which has left them sitting them 10th in the Premier League.
And Chelsea’s defence is currently in transition. Having lost both Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen on free transfers to Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively over the summer, the Blues invested in Wesley Fofana from Leicester City and also recruited Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli.
The former has been maligned with injuries, while the latter has failed to impress and is now only a substitute for the Stamford Bridge side, with January addition Benoit Badiashile coming in to replace him in Potter’s starting XI.
The one constant, however, has been Silva, who has started 17 times in the Premier League this season and has been his side’s best player, leaving Chelsea keen on extending his current deal beyond the end of the season, when it is due to expire.
Should he play a role next season, Silva could become the oldest-ever defender to play in the Premier League, overtaking Colin Cooper, who featured at 39 years and two months old.
