Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar privately urged Thiago Silva to leave the club and sign for Chelsea this summer, according to reports.
Chelsea signed the Brazilian defender on a free transfer from the French champions last month, with Frank Lampard interested in adding experience to his poor defence.
The 35-year-old has spent eight years with PSG but The Telegraph report that a source close to the player claims the centre-back was ‘immediately’ attracted by the prospect of moving to Chelsea.
The report claims that during PSG’s Champions League preparations in Lisbon last month, Thiago Silva consulted Neymar and the Brazilian forward told his compatriot to join the blues.
Chelsea’s hierarchy, including the club’s owner Roman Abramovich, were understood to be unanimous in their decision to sign Thiago Silva, who has the option to extend his one-year contract for a second season.
However, PSG made a late attempt to convince their skipper to stay but the veteran had already decided his future.
The Telegraph also claims that a source at Chelsea has described Thiago Silva’s role as an ‘unofficial assistant manager on the pitch’ at the club.
- Petr Cech driving Chelsea’s pursuit of Rennes goalie Edouard Mendy
- Mason Mount’s father hits out ‘bulls***’ reports over Kai Havertz move to Chelsea
It’s also believed that the Brazilian central defender will work closely with Frank Lampard’s coaching staff.
‘He is happy to discover the Premier League,’ Thiago Silva’s agent, Paulo Tonietto, told L’Equipe. ‘We had a lot of offers, but Chelsea are one of the world’s top 10 clubs.
‘Physically, Thiago can play for another five or six years at the highest level. He is an athlete who looks after himself. ‘He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he doesn’t party. His life is home – work, work – home.’
