According to Jamie Redknapp, Thiago Silva could end up being Frank Lampard’s best signing of the summer at Chelsea.
To strengthen what was a leaky Chelsea defence last term, Lampard has snapped up Silva on a free transfer following his departure from Paris St-Germain after the Brazilian decided that he wanted to leave the French giants.
At 35 years old, and with his 36th birthday to come this month, many have questioned whether the Brazilian will be able to cope with the pace and physicality of the Premier League.
However, while the likes of Kai Havertz and Timo Werner are soaking up most of the Chelsea hype this summer, Redknapp has tipped Silva to prove Lampard’s most important addition to the side.
“It might not be the most exciting, but [their best signing] might end up being Thiago Silva because of his experience,” he told Sky Sports. “They’ve got a lot of good young players, but sometimes you need someone that can come in at the end of their career and just calm everybody down.
“He’s got an amazing knowhow, he’s played at the top all of his career, he’s played for some of the biggest clubs – the likes of AC Milan and Paris St-Germain. “He’s a winner, played for his country countless times, captained his country. So he’ll be a brilliant addition for them.”
Silva is a leader and a proven winner that Chelsea need at the back, so although he is only a short-term fix for the club, he was certainly a signing that Frank Lampard needed this summer.
We do not know if he will be the best signing for Chelsea, but he is certainly a player that will bring some leadership to a side that has been lacking over the past few seasons.