The wife of Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva has confirmed that the centre-back plans to stay at Stamford Bridge for the 2023-24 season.
Despite his advancing years, the 38-year-old has been an integral cog in the Chelsea backline since arriving on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020.
Silva scored three goals in 32 Premier League appearances during another productive year last season, and he remained a mainstay of the team in the first half of the 2022-23 campaign under Graham Potter.
The Brazil international earned a new one-year contract in February as a reward for his influence and impressive performances, and he is therefore not due to become a free agent until the summer of 2024.
However, with Frank Lampard's side mired in mid-table obscurity in 12th place in the Premier League table, it has been claimed that Silva would be open to cancelling his contract and leaving this summer.
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As Chelsea work to overhaul their squad with young talent, the Blues would apparently not be opposed to letting Silva leave either, as the Brazilian will turn 39 in September.
A return to boyhood club Fluminense has been mooted for the veteran defender, who spent two separate spells in the club's academy before rejoining from Dynamo Moscow in 2006.
The Brazilian giants' president Mario Bittencourt recently told the Cheguei podcast that he had been in contact with Silva over a possible homecoming, while also claiming that the Chelsea man himself has a burning desire to go back to his country of birth.
"He never hid the desire to return, but he never said he would be back soon. He said he wanted to stay in Europe to play in the World Cup and he did," Bittencourt said.
"We said we would like him to come this year. And he was honest, that he would renew the contract until mid-2024. What can happen in the middle of the road, which depends much more on him than on us, which is what happened with Marcelo. He was already closed for the middle of the year, he called and said he would break the contract and came back."
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Having returned from a six-week layoff with a ligament injury, Silva has played the full 90 in each of Chelsea's last four Premier League games, and his name was sung by the home crowd in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge.
Banners in support of the centre-back were also unveiled, and Silva's wife Belle Silva expressed her gratitude after the game while also confirming that the family intends to remain in London.
"Guys, I want to thank everyone who came to me for a hug, for a song - 'Oh Thiago Silva. Thanks so much," Silva said.
"We, my family, my husband, my children and me, we are very, very happy here in London, in Chelsea. So my family and I are Blue, are Chelsea and we stay here. Go Blues!"
The former AC Milan defender has five goals and four assists under his belt from 115 games in a Chelsea jersey, winning the Champions League, Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup in the process.
Silva has set up two goals in 33 games for the Blues this term and could make his 25th Premier League start of the campaign in next Sunday's trip to champions-elect Manchester City.
Ben Knapton
