Thiago Silva drops retirement hint amid uncertain Chelsea future
Cameron Smith
- 30 Oct 2023 18:36 GMT
- 3 min read
Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has admitted that “the end of my career is approaching” as his contract at Stamford Bridge continues to creep towards its expiry date.
The 39-year-old currently has a deal that runs until June 2024 and negotiations regarding an extended contract have not yet begun.
Earlier this year, Silva signed a new one-year deal in west London after his initial contract was due to expire in 2023.
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While it’s possible the same thing happens again next year, talk of a return to Fluminense has started to bubble away and Silva has now acknowledged that retirement is an option.
He is one of six senior centre-backs on Chelsea’s books at current, but that number is likely to drop to five in January as Trevoh Chalobah looks set to leave the club.
Chelsea have been linked with signing a new centre-back in 2024, however, which could lead to Silva leaving the club.
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“The end of my career is approaching and it’s not a simple thing,” he told Sky Italia, via GOAL. “I have to think if I stop, or if I continue and where I go: there’s the family, I have two sons who play at Chelsea.
“At the moment I take this opportunity to play and make the most of this last year of my contract at Chelsea. But I’m very happy and proud of the career I’ve had, of what I’m doing now at 39 years old.
“I have prepared all my life to make the most of my work: football is my passion. Surely after I retire I will continue in this world, I don’t know how yet.”
It’s not the first time that Silva has hinted at leaving Chelsea either. He recently told TNT Sports in Brazil: “This is a long-standing relationship, right? But I'd rather keep quiet for now.
“I have a family, I have children. So we have to think about that too. It's about seeing where to finish off this beautiful career.”
