Chelsea move to tie star Potter ‘loves’ to new deal as claims of extraordinary Liverpool transfer are eased
Chelsea are clear in their minds about tying down a vital star to a new contract amid unexpected calls for Jurgen Klopp to try and prise the Stamford Bridge favourite to Liverpool.
Graham Potter’s side are very much in the transitional phase this season. With new owners, a new manager and a plethora of new players, it is easy to understand why results have been so inconsistent during the 2022/23 season. However, with a formidable record of trophy success over the last 20 years or so, it is easy to see why pressure is cranking up on Potter.
Indeed, Chelsea are currently 10th in the Premier League table – a huge 10 points adrift of the Champions League places. In the past, that has been the minimal threshold for Chelsea managers to aim for. As such, it is easy to understand why there reports suggesting there could be an early end to the Potter reign at Stamford Bridge.
As touched upon, Chelsea have lavished huge sums of money on team strengthening during the past two windows. They spent close to £280m during the summer on eight new arrivals.
And that shows little signs of abating in January with six new players arriving to a cost of around £160m so far.
Ambitious co-owner Todd Boehly, though, has been criticised for his scattergun approach. And there are arguments around to suggest Chelsea would be no better or worse off had they not spent so lavishly.
Despite that, there are still claims that there is one big signing to come at Chelsea this window. And Monday’s Euro Paper Talk suggested that potential deal will set them back a British record £105.7m.
Liverpool linked with Thiago Silva move
One man who has been a constant throughout all the recent changes though is Thiago Silva. Now in his third season at Stamford Bridge, eyebrows were raised when the Blues signed him as a free agent from PSG back in August 2020.
Now 38, Thiago Silva has clocked up 105 appearances for the Blues and rarely lets his levels drop. Initially signing a one-year deal with the option of a second, Chelsea were quick to take that up. They were equally as rapid to tie him down to an extension going into the 2022/23 campaign too.
Once again out of contract this summer, the Brazil stalwart has made 23 appearances in all competitions this season. As such, he looks as important as ever to the Chelsea cause as ever before.
But with free agency status this summer, TalkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino suggests he would be the ideal arrival to bolster Klopp’s Liverpool defence.
Discussing the player’s display in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Anfield, Cascarino did not hold back.
“Thiago Silva’s performance was just extraordinary at the back,” Cascarino said.
“You just laugh at someone who is 37 who gets in a one-on-one with [Darwin] Nunez who is lightning quick and OK he might catch after you, but he doesn’t get away from Thiago Silva. Which is extraordinary, brilliant defending.
“He was outstanding again for Chelsea yesterday [Saturday], Thiago Silva. He has got the [Paolo] Maldini in him, [can] play until 40 quite comfortably.
“If Chelsea didn’t offer a contract to him at the end of the season, there will be plenty that would without a doubt, because I would. If I was in a management position, I would be saying ‘I will take him for a year’, absolutely.”
Chelsea ready to offer Thiago Silva a new contract
Discussing whether he would thrive at Anfield, Cascarino added: “Yeah [I would take him at Liverpool], if I could get him for nothing I would get him in absolutely, he is a fabulous footballer.
“He is so composed, rarely gets in trouble, everybody talks about his age and people think you can get behind him and run him. I can’t think of many who have actually outran him and got in behind, he seems to read the game so well.”
However, any claims of an extraordinary steal by Liverpool are likely to quickly fade away.
Indeed, as per The Times, Chelsea are preparing a new deal for Thiago that would keep him at the club beyond his 39th birthday.
Potter sees him as a vital component of his Chelsea side and a big factor in their plans for the future. And while they have signed Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly and Benoit Badiashile – all of whom play centre-half – since Boehly’s takeover, Thiago will remain one of the first names on their teamsheet.
That is a theory transfer expert Fabrizio Romano also acknowledges. He claims Chelsea plans to tie Thiago Silva to a new deal are also getting closer.
Proving an update to CBS Sports, Romano said: “Chelsea are having conversations with some of them [players with expiring contracts]. For example, Thiago Silva. They love Thiago Silva, they love how are they playing, they love his impact in the dressing room.”
