Graham Potter has hailed Thiago Silva as an 'incredible' person and player but left the question of where the former AC Milan and PSG star's future may lie next term to Chelsea and the player.
Silva's contract is set to expire at the end of the season, with the defensive star now in his third Chelsea season and seemingly going from strength to strength at the age of 38. The Brazilian international finds himself in the same position as in 2021/22, when he had one year remaining on his deal before extending his contract in January for an extra season at Stamford Bridge.
The defensive star has played 90 minutes in each of Chelsea's matches so far this term, except against Wolves at the weekend where he was absent from the squad entirely after suffering from a heavy cold. Potter, however, explained he had recovered well ahead of the game, and despite his short time in charge, Silva appears to have left a significant impression on him.
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Chelsea's head coach would only say the decision would be for Silva when asked about his contract situation.
Potter said: "I think the decision is Thiago's. I've been here 3 or 4 weeks. I see his qualities. He's an incredible person, incredible player. The level he can play at, the performance level he can reach, and the respect he has through the game is just incredible. All I can do is try and help him enjoy his football here, be part of a winning team and all of the rest is something for him and the club to think about."
Silva also faced the press on Monday evening, and while he was reluctant to delve much into the topic, he conceded that it was almost time for that conversation to take place with Chelsea.
Silva said: "In public is not the right time to talk about new contracts, so I can not accurately answer this question. For me now, what is important is to continue playing to a high level and helping the team achieve the best possible results. For sure, there will be a time when we will need to talk. It could be before the World Cup or after the World Cup because, of course, I need to know whether I will have a new contract with Chelsea for my family arrangements. It is not easy. If I don't have a new contract, I will have to decide what to do, and also, for my family, this is an important decision, so we will see what will happen."
When asked about the possibility of a return to Milan, Silva added: "I already made my history with AC Milan, so I believe this is not the case anymore at the more. If it could have been the case, it should have been before me coming to join Chelsea. I don't know about the future. Who knows about the future? I will have to think then. I am very happy to be at Chelsea, a very big club with great professionals. In the future, we will see. Maybe as a coach, who knows?"
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