After reports that Thiago Silva could return to Chelsea, the Blues have lost out to Porto, where a former Blues boss ‘strongly’ wanted the centre-back.

Silva, now 41, is incredibly still performing very well. The Brazilian defender left Chelsea for Fluminense in 2024, in what looked like it might well be his last transfer.

But following the conclusion of Silva’s contract in Brazil, with the season there ending of late, it was revealed he’d be returning to Europe, to continue playing this season, with a view to making his nation’s World Cup squad.

Our friends at TEAMtalkreported that Silva was open to a return to the Premier League, and had made calls to some clubs, with Chelseaone of those aware of his availability.

However, there will be no reunion for Silva and the club he won the Champions League with in 2020/21, as he’s instead moving to Porto.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has confirmed as much, reporting Silva has an agreement on a short-term deal with the Portuguese club, where he was ‘strongly wanted’ by president Andre Villas-Boas, who previously managed Chelsea.

Silva’s deal will run until the summer of 2026, with an option to extend it to 2027, at which point he’ll be closing in on his 43rd birthday.

Porto know what they’re getting from Silva, who was praised massively by Darren Bent, advocating for Chelsea to take him back to the club in recent days.

He said: “I mean, If I’m Chelsea, I’m trying to bring him back in some capacity and if that’s the play, that’s the play. I watched him in the Club World Cup.

“Yes, of course, he’s not as quick as we know he can be, because he’s obviously older in age.

“But his brain is still quick, he’s still getting his body positioning in the right place, he was very rarely getting caught out with the ball in behind.

“Because he knows full well, ‘I’m not the quickest anymore so, as they’re about to clear it, or clip it over the top, I’ll drop ten yards.’

“Now, I played against Thiago Silva when he was in his pomp, oh my goodness, animal, Brazil vs England, animal, everything.

“Jumps, quick, powerful but now, he reads the game so well and if I’m Chelsea, I’m trying to bring him back.”

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Chelsea might have missed out on a future coach, as Bent said: “The FIFA Club World Cup… He was there when they won the first one [in 2022], and he was also there when they won the Champions League [in 2021].

“With the experience that he’s got, I would bring him back in some capacity. Now, he might have more of a coaching role at Chelsea.

“But when you talk about someone who’s got the experience, who’s played at the highest level, that’s got a connection to the club as well… I mean, you can go and sign a 21-year-old and they still won’t be as good as him.”

With Silva’s sons in Chelsea’s academy, it seems there’s still a good chance he could join the coaching staff in some capacity after his spell at Porto.

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