Brought in to add some experience to an increasingly young squad, Thiago Silva has provided just that for Frank Lampard.
Captaining the side in five of his eight Premier League appearances, the Brazilian has been key to Chelsea’s good form over the past couple of months, even if his most recent outing was in a 1-0 loss to Everton.
He won’t stay at Stamford Bridge forever, being 36 and having signed on for just one year (with the option of another), but as long as he’s fit, he’ll play.
There’s a certain element of trust there between Lampard and the Brazilian, which is something he didn’t feel towards the end of his time at Paris Saint-Germain, who delayed renewing his contract despite the player’s desire to stay there had they done so early on.
Speaking to Canal Football Club, relayed by Paris United, Silva explained what went on behind the scenes, which eventually led to his move to Chelsea.
He said: “At the beginning, there was no offer to renew my contract. Leonardo called me, told me I wasn’t a part of the club’s project and said I could leave. After the Champions League final, he called me back and asked me if I’d signed with another club. I said no, but I’d given my word to Chelsea.
“For me, the word is the most important. Once you’ve said something, you have to follow through. You can’t change your mind like that. And, I think they changed their mind after the Champions league because I showed my quality. What saddens me, it’s that I spent eight years there and I was judged on the last three games. Everything I’d done before didn’t matter.
“For me, it’s sad to make a decision like that, but it’s football. That’s how it is. Now I have to look forward and to keep working for Chelsea. It’s a club that deserves it”.
However, all this doesn’t mean Silva has forgotten all the good times he had at the Parc des Princes, explaining he still supports the club, even if he’s ‘happy’ with his wife and family in London.
Unlike what Leonardo did, it eight years of his life haven’t been erased just because he’s now left, and it seems the Ligue 1 club will always have a special place in his heart.
