Report: Thiago Silva to sign 2-year contract with Chelsea
Chelsea's busy summer shows no signs of slowing down.
Thiago Silva will sign a two-year deal with the Premier League club this week, sources told Julien Laurens of ESPN. The veteran defender, 35, will join the Blues on a free transfer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain.
Though his contract with the French team expired earlier this summer, Silva agreed to remain with PSG through their Champions League run, which was prolonged due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. That campaign ended with Sunday's defeat to Bayern Munich in the tournament final.
Silva, who captained the Ligue 1 side, is expected to speak with Frank Lampard on Monday in order to finalize the remaining "minor details" of his switch, Laurens notes.
The Brazilian spent eight years with PSG but was not offered a new contract by the club. Though manager Thomas Tuchel was keen on retaining Silva's services, sporting director Leonardo wanted to go in a more youthful direction.
That cleared the way for Chelsea, who beat out competition from Fiorentina for Silva's signature. The Italian side also put a two-year offer on the table, but the experienced center-back opted instead to move to Stamford Bridge.
He should instantly become a key member of a backline that conceded 54 goals in the Premier League this season, more than any other club that finished in the top half of the table.
In addition to Silva, Chelsea are expected to complete deals for Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell in the coming days.