Thiago Silva drops major hint over Chelsea future

Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has hinted that he could soon leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season, now just a few short months away.

Silva signed a one-year extension to his deal last February. But having signed new 12-month deals regularly throughout his time at Stamford Bridge, the Brazilian centre-back doesn't appear likely to extend into a fifth year given his latest comments to reporters.

Silva was speaking after Chelsea's 6-1 thrashing of Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, admitting he feels as though his time wearing blue is coming to an end.

"It's a source of great pride [to be loved by the fans]," he said in footage from Hayters TV.

"I am happy every time I play [at Stamford Bridge]. It's a different and special emotion, and I know that with each game that ends I have the feeling that it’s ending, so that makes me a little sad. But happy with the performance on the field, which is most important."

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The performance in question, in which 39-year-old Silva played the full 90 minutes alongside 20-year-old Levi Colwill at the heart of the defence, saw Chelsea book a place in next month’s Carabao Cup final to offer a chance of lifting English football’s first major trophy of this season.

The Blues will find out on Wednesday night who they will face at Wembley, with Liverpool looking to hold on to a 2-1 aggregate lead over Fulham in the second semi-final.

Since a 35-year-old Silva joined Chelsea in the summer of 2020, the club have been to three Wembley finals without being successful. They lost to Leicester City in the 2021 FA Cup final, before being beaten by Liverpool in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals the following year.

"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," Silva said.

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