"The question is more for him" - Mauricio Pochettino on Thiago Silva's Chelsea future following defender's comments about potential exit
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has addressed the future of veteran defender Thiago Silva at the club.
The 39-year-old Brazilian centre-back is in the final year of his contract at the club, with his deal set to expire at the end of the season. When asked about a possible extension, Pochettino said (via transfer expert Fabrizio Romano):
“We didn't talk about the next season. This question is more for him than me. For him, it's to keep fit. With his age, he is doing fantastic. We are so happy with him. Then future is about him and the club."
Here's the tweet as posted by Romano:
Silva joined Chelsea in the summer of 2020 as a free agent afte being released by Paris Saint-Germain. Despite his age he became a crucial player in the Blues' starting XI.
He oversaw the Blues winning the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup in 2021. Overall, he has made 141 appearances for the Blues across competitions, registering seven goals and four assists.
Thiago Silva addresses his future at Chelsea after Middlesbrough win
Chelsea staged an emphatic comeback in the second leg of the EFL Cup semifinal on January 23. The Blues were trailing 1-0 from their narrow defeat at the Riverside against Middlesbrough two weeks earlier.
They turned the game around at Stamford Bridge with a massive 6-1 win to proceed to the final on February 25. Silva has lost his three previous finals at the Wembley (2020 FA Cup, 2022 FA Cup 2022 EFL Cup) and will hope for a different outcome this time.
After the game, he also addressed his future (via Sun):
“I’m happier because of the team’s performance, and, now, with another final at Wembley. If I’m not mistaken, the three times I went there, I lost all three.
"So I think it’s time to win, right? (Fans singing my name) it’s a source of great pride. In such a short time, I managed to conquer them in such a passionate way."
He added:
“It was very, very fast, and I am happy every time I play here. It’s a different and special emotion.
"And I know with that each game that ends I have the feeling that it’s ending, so that makes me a little sad. But I’m happy with the performance on the field, which is the most important.”
Chelsea play Liverpool in the final, the same team who beat them in two domestic cup finals in the 2021-22 season.