Joe Prince-wright, NBC Sports
In the latest transfer news Thiago Silva to Chelsea and Jose Gimenez to Chelsea is front and center, while Ben Chilwell to Chelsea may have hit a snag.
Starting with Silva, it has been confirmed that the 35-year-old will leave Paris Saint-Germain as his contract has expired as the Brazilian defender captained PSG in their UEFA Champions League final defeat to Bayern Munich on Sunday.
It is believed Thiago Silva to Chelsea is being finalized but there are contrasting reports over a one-year deal or two-year deal for the center back.
“It was my last game in Paris,” Silva told RMC Sport. “I am sad. I apologize to the fans. I thank all the supporters for their love. I’ll come back, with another role, in this club I loved. I want to play for another 3-4 years and play in the World Cup in Qatar.”
Whatever length the contract is, this is a much-needed defensive boost for Frank Lampard. Everybody knows Chelsea want to upgrade their center back and left back options and that means they’re being quoted $70 million for the likes of Lewis Dunk and John Stones and $110 million for Declan Rice. Not having a pop at those players, but Chelsea would be paying way over the odds for them.
Thiago Silva to Chelsea works for both parties. Chelsea get an experienced, top-class defender who is a proven winner for absolutely nothing. Silva gets to extend his career for a few more years and he can provide expertize to the likes Kurt Zouma and Fikayo Tomori. Chelsea have strengthened their attack with the signings of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, while it seems like the $120 million arrival of Havertz is imminent. Now it is all about strengthening their defense.
Another center back option is also emerging, as Jose Gimenez to Chelsea reports have also been fired up in recent days via CaughtOffside. The Atletico Madrid and Uruguay center back, 25, has been linked with a move to the Premier League consistently in recent seasons (mostly Manchester United) and he is the kind of no-nonsense defender Lampard needs.
Per the report, the transfer funds for Gimenez will be taken from their previous transfer ban as they were forced to go 12 months without buying a new player. Previously it was reported that Gimenez has a $140 million release clause but it seems unlikely Chelsea will spend that much considering they’re about to take their summer spending to about $300 million when Havertz and Chilwell sign to join Ziyech and Werner.
Gimenez would be Chelsea’s long-term top center back and he and Silva together next season, plus a new left back and goalkeeper, would be perfect.
And finishing up on Chelsea transfer news, (because, well, they are one of the only clubs around with tons of cash to spend) left back Ben Chilwell to Chelsea could have hit a snag.
A report from The Sun suggests that although a fee has been agreed over a $65 million transfer between Leicester City and Chelsea for the England international, Chilwell will see a medical specialist on Monday due to a problem with his recent heel injury.
The report states that Ben Chilwell to Chelsea could actually collapse due to the issue with his heel as a lengthier layoff of more than a few weeks could scupper the deal. The 23-year-old left back missed Leicester’s final five games of the 2019-20 season with the problem and although it wasn’t thought to be a problem, something isn’t quite right. Watch this space.
