Thiago Silva is one of three players who departed Chelsea at the end of June, with two academy stars exiting the Todd Boehly administration.
Thiago Silva led a mini-exodus at Chelsea this week as he heads back to Brazil, while two academy players have also departed. It marked the end of an era for the legendary Silva at Stamford Bridge as his four-year tenure came to an end following the expiration of his contract.
Silva joined the club at 35 and made more than 100 appearances for the Blues, clinching his first Champions League trophy and becoming their oldest goalscorer thanks to his impact against Manchester City last November. The retired Brazil international will return to his home country with childhood club Fluminense, as confirmed by The Mirror.
Todd Boehly’s Chelsea team has been in a constant state of flux, with N’Golo Kante, Cesar Azpilicueta, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, and Christian Pulisic leaving the club last year. And the early signals indicate that this transfer window will be no different.
Ian Maatsen and Lewis Hall have already signed Premier League contracts this summer as the team works to comply with the league’s Profit and Sustainability Rules. Hall has signed a permanent contract with Newcastle after spending the previous season on loan, while Maatsen has recently joined Aston Villa.
Following Silva’s departure, academy defenders Josh Brooking and Noah Hay have both left Chelsea after their contracts expired at the end of June. Neither player made a senior appearance for the west Londoners, and both are free agents looking for other opportunities.
Brooking joined the academy from Reading in 2018 and captained the Premier League 2 team last season. Hay, on the other hand, had just been in Chelsea’s academy system for two years and had already played for the Under-18 team.
Silva’s exit will be a big blow to the team, especially given his old age. Although the arrival of free agent Tosin Adarabioyo, who previously played for Manchester City and Fulham, has helped to fill the loss, Silva’s leadership will be severely missed.
Chelsea may also have to generate £100 million in player sales to avoid fines, which might lead to more departures. Boehly’s stay at Chelsea is proving harsh, with Silva and several of his teammates slated to go this summer.
Trevoh Chalobah and England’s Conor Gallagher are among those prominently connected with departures from Stamford Bridge. Albania attacker Armando Broja and out-of-favour Romelu Lukaku are among players who could command high prices, with the latter potentially increasing his chances of a move after appearing for Belgium at Euro 2024.