“There is an end for everyone” - Frank Leboeuf admits he doesn’t want to watch Chelsea star at Stamford Bridge next season
Former Chelsea star Frank Leboeuf has admitted that he doesn't want to see Thiago Silva at Stamford Bridge next season.
Silva arrived at Chelsea from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the summer of 2020 and has since had multiple one-year extensions to prolong his stay at the club. He is now 39 years old and evidently in the twilight of his career.
Silva missed the 1-0 EFL Cup final defeat against Liverpool due to a small injury. But apart from that, he has made 29 appearances across competitions this season, showcasing his durability even at this age.
Leboeuf, however, believes Silva's time at Chelsea should come to a close. He told BetVictor (via Metro):
"Thiago Silva has been a fantastic player for Chelsea and I don’t want to deny that, but there is a time for everything to come to an end. The young defenders at the club have proven that they are ready to play and I’m not even sure they would’ve been better off with him in the team against Liverpool."
The Frenchman added:
"I’m not sure it will be a good thing if he stays next season. ‘It is time for him to leave and time for us all to say thank you to him. ‘I had my time, Marcel Desailly had his time and so did John Terry, there is an end for everyone."
Silva is in the final few months of his deal at Stamford Bridge. The Brazilian legend has played 146 career games for Chelsea and has won three trophies during that time, including the UEFA Champions League.
Paul Merson slams Chelsea for signing players not 'good enough' for the club
Former Arsenal player Paul Merson believes a lot of players at Chelsea aren't at the level of playing for the club.
The Blues have spent well over £1 billion since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital's takeover in the summer of 2022. Young players such as Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo have cost the club over nine figures each in transfer fees.
Players such as Mykhaylo Mudryk and Romeo Lavia, meanwhile, are yet to get going and impress fans. Addressing the club's situation in his Sky Sports column, Merson wrote:
"You cannot see where Chelsea are going. I said this months ago and I'll say it again now, a lot of the players are not good enough to play for Chelsea Football Club, yet they are sitting on eight-year deals.
"It's not long ago that Chelsea won the Champions League. People talk about the success of the club like it was 20 years ago. They won the Champions League three years ago, but the club are still asking for patience from the fans. It's just not good enough."
After finishing 12th last season, Mauricio Pochettino's men sit in 11th in the league table with 35 points from 25 matches.