Thiago Silva confirms he is leaving Chelsea in emotional message to fans

Thiago Silva has announced he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season as a free agent.

The veteran defender, 39, has been a revelation at Stamford Bridge since joining the Blues back in the summer of 2020, clocking up over 150 appearances and winning the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.

There has been speculation over the Brazil international's future in recent weeks with his contract due to expire in the summer. And Silva and Chelsea have now confirmed that he will be moving on at the conclusion of the 2023/24 campaign.

In a statement shared on the club's official website, Silva said: "Chelsea means a lot to me. I came here with the intention of only staying for a year and it ended up being four years. Not just for me but for my family, too.

“My sons play for Chelsea so it’s a source of great pride to be a part of the Chelsea family – literally because my sons are here. I hope they can continue their careers here at this victorious club that many players wish to be part of.

“I think in everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all. But, unfortunately, everything has a start, a middle and an end. That doesn’t mean that this is a definitive end. I hope to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role here.

“But…it’s an indescribable love. I can only say thank you. Obviously, when I started here, it was during the pandemic so there wasn’t any fans in the stadium. But through social media, it became something very special to me and then when the fans started coming back to the stadium and life was getting back to normal, I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here.

“It is already hard saying goodbye