Chelsea FC on Friday completed the signing of Brazilian central defender Thiago Silva on one-year contract with the option of extending it further for another 12 months.
The 35-year-old, whose term at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) concluded at the end of the last season, said, “I am so happy to be joining Chelsea. I am delighted to be a part of Frank Lampard’s exciting squad for next season and I’m here to challenge for honours. See you soon Chelsea fans, I look forward to playing at Stamford Bridge very soon.
His time as a PSG player had ended on a sweet note with two trophies in his final season. Silva also led the French team to their first-ever Champions League final in the coronavirus-hit season.
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia said: “We are delighted to be able to add a player of Thiago Silva’s proven world-class credentials to our squad.
“Having performed at the highest level for many years, we have no doubt his experience and quality will complement the many exciting talents we already have here.
“Thiago will be an excellent fit and we hope he can add some new trophies to his impressive list of honours,” he added.
His signing follows the addition on Wednesday of Ben Chilwell to the squad and continues the long tradition of top Brazilian players gracing the pitch for Chelsea. Malang Sarr also joined earlier this week and will be on loan in 2020/21.
Silva was an important player for Brazil as they lifted the Copa America at the Maracana last year and he has represented his country 89 times in total, scoring seven goals.
Silva has been an absolute legend for the Parisians in his eight years of service. Representing them in over 200 matches, he has won seven Ligue 1 title, six French League Cup and five French Cup with them.