Chelsea begin plans to replace major star this summer with 20-year-old valued at £70m

Posted Thursday, January 04, 2024 by Caughtoffside.com

Chelsea have already started to plan for the exit of Thiago Silva this summer as the Brazilian legend is not expected to sign a new deal at Stamford Bridge.

The 39-year-old has been at the West London club since 2020, racking up 137 appearances whilst winning major trophies such as the Champions League.

The defender is not expected to sign a new deal with Chelsea and the club have begun preparations to replace him this summer, reports Football Insider.

One player the Premier League side have an eye on is Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande, who has a £70m release clause in his contract with the Portuguese giants.

It is believed Chelsea are keen to structure a move for the 20-year-old this month but it is unlikely.

Diomande has been with Sporting since January last year and has grown to become a major player for the Portuguese side.

At £70m, this would be another major deal completed for a centre-back by Chelsea having already recruited Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashille and Wesley Fofana in recent windows.

The 20-year-old should be one of the last pieces of the Blues' defensive puzzle, should they get a deal done, but at Stamford Bridge, it can never be certain.