Chelsea plan Thiago Silva tributes amid hope over farewell appearance | OneFootball

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Chelsea are set to pay tribute to Thiago Silva during their final match of the season, and there is hope he can play at least once more before leaving the club.

The 39-year-old recently announced his intention to depart Stamford Bridge when his contract expires this summer in a tearful video on social media, while earlier on Tuesday it was confirmed that he had agreed a two-year deal to return to Brazil with Fluminense.

Silva returned from a groin injury in Chelsea’s 5-0 win over West Ham at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

There is now just one home match remaining this term, on the final day against Bournemouth, and club officials are discussing further tributes for the veteran centre-back.

A legend departs: Thiago Silva will leave Chelsea this summer and return to Brazil with Fluminense

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Blues supporters will also display a fan-funded crowd-surfing banner in the Shed End for the defender, who has made 151 appearances for the club, scored nine goals, and won the Champions League, Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup since joining on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020.

Silva will now return to Rio de Janeiro with Fluminense, where his long senior career began back in the late 1990s.

When asked about Silva’s influence, fellow Chelsea defender Benoit Badiashile said: “Thiago is a great player and we all know how great he is. It will be a great miss for us but we have to continue to work.

“That’s life, we have to continue. You can see when I play with him, I am more confident but I have to try to be the same player without him because he can’t be with me throughout my career.

“He has helped me a lot but I will try to do my best without him.”