Frank Lampard has used Thiago Silva's longevity in elite football as an example for the rest of the Chelsea squad to further their careers at the top level.
The 38-year-old, who has won an incredible 33 major honours for club and country in his highly decorated 21-year professional career thus far, is still playing on a regular basis for Chelsea in the Premier League and in European competitions. Not only that, but Silva is standing out from the rest. He has been arguably Chelsea's most consistent defensive player this season and that – again, arguably – has been the case since he moved to Stamford Bridge on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain almost three years ago.
Silva has featured 26 times in the Premier League this season, with 25 of those coming from the start, and that's despite missing seven league games between March and April because of a ligament injury. The Brazilian defender is expected to once again start for Chelsea in their Premier League trip to Manchester United later on this evening (Thursday) and Lampard almost sounds in disbelief when talking about the man he signed for the club back in 2020.
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"It's an amazing achievement physically," Lampard told reporters. "I played until 38 or 39 in the last few years in the MLS and my body was telling me 'don't do it', that kind of thing, so to see someone do it at centre-back which I think is the most important position in terms of sharpness and how you can get exposed because of the level of player, it is because of his quick-thinking and the understanding of the role and recovering the danger.
"It's just incredible. When I brought him into the club, it was immediately evident that he was a top, high-level player. He was possibly, not better than I thought but I was like 'wow, he is one of the best in the world in his position'.
"He looks after himself, great understanding of the game and he wants to help those around him. I've got nothing but praise for Thiago and to see him at this level is an inspiration to all of the players.
"They could and should learn a lot from him in terms of how he looks after himself off the pitch and how he approaches training daily, what he demands from his teammates, that's something that has to rub off more at the minute. Yes, he has been special."
Silva is one of the few – what you would call – natural leaders in the Chelsea squad. He wears the captain's armband if Cesar Azpilicueta isn't playing, and that's been a fair bit this season with the Spaniard not getting as much game-time as he would have hoped for.
Despite not being the loudest player on the pitch, Silva can often be seen barking instructions to his teammates, all of them being younger than him, to try and help them out. But Silva is very much a different type of leader to this, he lets his football do the talking and how he conducts himself on and off the pitch should be the perfect example to his younger colleagues, Lampard has explained.
"He is demanding, to be fair," Lampard continued. "I reckon that is a good thing. I wouldn't say he is the most vocal. It is each to their own with the players, and he is not that. He is more of a player who leads by example.
"I think the players alongside him understand what the level is and what's required. If you don't get them, you will get the look or a talk but he is not a screamer or a shouter. He is certainly one who demands from people around him and that's a good thing because, at this level, you need players like that.
"They are not everywhere those players who can say 'this is what I have done in my career so I can still do it'. I really like that side of him."
The Brazil international signed a new one-year contract extension in February, meaning his deal is now not set to expire until next summer. However, Silva is wanted by multiple clubs from Saudi Arabia ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window, football.london understands.
Unnamed clubs from Saudi Arabia have been in contact with Chelsea via intermediaries over recent days to express their keen interest in bringing Silva to the Middle East. The defender recently, though, insisted he would see out his contract at Chelsea.
"I have a contract here, right? It's even strange because several things are coming out and it turns out that the fans [of Fluminense] are in love," Silva said earlier in May. "Some even curse me on social networks, others say 'come soon', other they say 'if you don't come now, don't come anymore'.
"It's even boring for me, but I renewed with Chelsea, if I'm not mistaken. I've always fulfilled my contracts. I won't stay here if Chelsea don't want me for next year or if the new coach who arrives don't want me to stay. I'm going to try to fulfil my contract that is signed until next year."
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