At 39 years old, it seems as though the time has come for Thiago Silva to ride off into the sunset.
The iconic defender is now in the final six months of his contract at Chelsea and recently hinted at a departure at the end of the season which, coupled with a desire to part ways with Trevoh Chalobah, will see Chelsea enter the market for a new defender this summer.
Here are ten candidates Chelsea could be looking at.
20-year-old Antonio Silva is one of many young prospects exploding on to the scene at Benfica. He’s been a regular starter for the past few seasons and has plenty of suitors.
While there’s lots to like about Silva, there are reasons for Chelsea to be wary of shelling out for him at this point, namely some mistakes and losses of composure in big moments.
Silva is destined for a bright future, that much is clear, but he doesn’t seem ready for such a move just yet.
Sporting CP’s Goncalo Inacio is two years older than Silva and also boasts twice as many senior appearances. That undoubtedly works in his favour.
A £51m release clause is undoubtedly intriguing for Inacio, whose ball-playing skills are superb. He’s a key cog in Sporting’s attack, but he’s also no slouch in defence either.
Inacio would be a great signing for Chelsea, but concerns over his inexperience outside of Portugal might mean he’s not the guy for the Blues right now.
The towering Giorgio Scalvini looks destined to be the next star defender in Italy, and it would hardly be a bad move to make him Chelsea’s next anchor for years to come.
Only 20 but still with solid experience, the concern over Scalvini is the fact he plays for Atalanta, a club who could hardly be more different to Chelsea when it comes to money, lifestyle, pressure and pretty much everything else involved with being a footballer.
Is Scalvini ready for that jump? Maybe in a year or two.
Sticking in Italy, Alessandro Bastoni was the Scalvini of Serie A before Scalvini came around. He joined from Atalanta in 2017 for big money and already has well over 200 senior appearances to his name.
Bastoni fits perfectly into Chelsea’s project – a young defender with oodles of experience – but is also likely to be one of the most expensive options around, having inked a five-year contract at the start of this season.
While Inter’s finances aren’t exactly perfect, they’re not going to be bullied into selling one of the game’s top young players for cheap.
Jean-Clair Todibo probably got too much out of football too quickly. When he joined Barcelona in January 2019, he was supposed to be the next big thing, and he spent a little while struggling against the weight of expectation.
A move away from the spotlight came in 2021 when Nice made a loan deal permanent, and he hasn’t looked back since. Todibo has developed perfectly and is comfortably among the top options in his position in France.
He’ll come comparatively cheap, such is the nature of the French transfer market, and would make a smart buy for any club.
Ligue 1 is a pretty great hunting ground for young talents. French football just seems to get it, and Leny Yoro is the latest sensation off the production line.
Yoro only turned 18 in November, so the risk that comes with him is pretty obvious, but to have a full senior season under your belt at such a young age is not to be taken lightly, let alone for one of France’s top teams.
Yoro’s a star in the making. His contract runs until 2025 and so he feels quietly obtainable, but Lille aren’t scared of demanding big money for their young talents.
Few options can be suggested with more confidence than 24-year-old Netherlands international Matthijs de Ligt, who has already experienced most of football’s highs at such a young age.
Having already represented Juventus and Bayern Munich, De Ligt is no stranger to the big stage and is one of very few options who Chelsea can be certain won’t fade under the pressure. He’s been playing under immense pressure for five years already.
His marriage to Bayern and Thomas Tuchel appears destined to self-destruct, which might even lower his asking price.
Bayer Leverkusen have been unbelievable this season. Plenty of people deserve credit for that, including centre-back Edmond Tapsoba.
Tapsoba exploded on to the scene when he moved to the Bundesliga in January 2020, even looking like one of the division’s best defenders before plateauing somewhat.
Now 24, Tapsoba once again looks sublime. The only debate is whether it’s the Leverkusen system that is bringing such a level out of him.
Do Chelsea actually need to buy a new centre-back? After all, it wasn’t long ago that Levi Colwill was being talked about as one of the best young defenders on the planet.
While the shine from his loan with Brighton has dulled this season, that’s largely due to Colwill being deployed at left-back. On the rare occasions he gets to play in the middle, the 20-year-old seems to relish the chance to remind the world that he is him.
In Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana and Axel Disasi, Chelsea already have some sensational co-stars to go alongside Colwill. Maybe the best move is no move.
90min understands Chelsea have set their sights on Sporting CP’s Ousmane Diomande, and it’s not hard to see why.
Still only 20, Diomande just seems to get it. Having enjoyed a rapid ascension which has seen him play in Denmark and the Portuguese second tier even before his switch to Sporting, the Ivory Coast international is a powerful, composed defender who relishes every challenge thrown down to him.
He’s the perfect fit for Chelsea’s vision. The Blues simply have to go for him.
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