Thiago Silva message as his Chelsea exit is confirmed

• Chelsea defender Thiago Silva is set to leave the club at the end of the 2023-24 season
• The Brazilian shared an emotional message in which he he described Chelsea as a club that means a lot to him

Chelsea defender Thiago Silva is set to leave the club at the end of the 2023-24 season. The 39-year-old defender, who joined the Blues in 2020, confirmed the news in an emotional message to fans.

Silva has been a key player for Chelsea since his arrival but has struggled with injuries which have recently been keeping him on the sidelines. On Saturday, he was substituted in stoppage time with a groin injury in what appeared to be his final match as a Chelsea player.

The Brazilian went ahead and shared an emotional message in which he he described Chelsea as a club that means a lot to him.

Thiago Silva will leave Chelsea at the end of the season. Photo/ BBC.

“Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for a year and it ended up being four years. Not just for me but for my family, too. My sons play for Chelsea so it’s a source of great pride to be a part of the Chelsea family – literally because my sons are here. I hope they can continue their careers here at this victorious club that many players wish to be part of.” Thiago Silva said, as per Sky Sports.

Silva also spoke about a return to Stamford Bridge in the future “albeit in another role”.

The Bigger Picture 

Thiago Silva joined Chelsea during the 2020 summer transfer window as a free agent. When he arrived, fans were not allowed in stadiums to watch games due to the COVID-19 pandemic which had crippled almost every sport in the world.

Silva didn’t have a relationship with the fans at first but he slowly became a fan-favourite as his performance caught the attention of many on social media. He started to feel the affection of the fans when everything returned to normal and people were allowed back into stadiums.

Silva played a key role as Chelsea went ahead and won the prestigious UEFA Champions League in his first season at the club, beating Manchester City 1-0 in the final. The Champions League was the only major trophy he was chasing at club level after achieving great success with AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.

The Brazilian would go on to add the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup in his amazing collection. He played in two FA Cup finals with the Blues but failed to triumph in both attempts. He was also part of the Blues side that lost two EFL Cup finals.

Thiago Silva won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea. Photo/ Chelsea Football Club.

During his time at Stamford Bridge, Thiago Silva has made over 150 appearances and has been one of the best players. While it seems Chelsea fans aren’t going to see him in action again this season because of the groin injury, Silva wishes to come back and take a different role at the club.

“[It’s been a] dream, definitely a dream. Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could achieve such great things and win one of the best professional titles, the Champions League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Goodbyes are for those that leave and don’t come back. I intend on coming back one day.” Thiago Silva added on his farewell message.

Thiago Silva’s exit means that only two players from the Blues 23-man squad that won the Champions League barely three years ago will be remaining at the club – Reece James and Ben Chilwell.

Under Todd Boehly, Chelsea have opted to sign young players and offer them big contracts while the experiences ones are allowed to leave. Silva is the oldest player to feature in a Premier League match this season.