Does Thiago Silva plan to stay at Chelsea beyond 2024?

Thiago Silva's contract with Chelsea expires next summer. There have been no negotiations reported over a new deal for the veteran defender so far.

However, despite his age — insert 'aging like a fine wine' trope here — the 39-year-old remains arguably the most reliable centre-back at the club, putting in world-class performances week in, week out.

According to journalist Dean Jones, the Brazilian is currently more likely to leave the Bridge at the end of his contract — but he could be tempted to stay if the club keeps improving.

Jones told Give Me Sport: “I think stranger things have happened, we know that Silva and his family love Chelsea and love London. I think they've got a very comfortable life here and he is one of the very few leaders that Chelsea have got in that team at the moment, because they've been buying such young talent.

“I can definitely see a world in which Chelsea would be looking for him to stay and, yeah, it's a big decision for him as to whether he does. I think his mind has always been set that this will be his final season at Chelsea, but that can change especially given that Chelsea are starting to deliver performances now.

“It'd be tricky for him to leave if Chelsea were just starting to get good. That's going to be a lot more difficult for him to just walk away from this if there was some promise that next season might actually lead to a better time at the club.”