A lot is expected of new Chelsea defender Thiago Silva, with the veteran defender having joined Chelsea for free after the expiration of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.
Silva is well respected around the globe and seen as a world-class player, following his exploits for PSG and Brazil over the years.
Chelsea defenders Kurt Zouma and Ben Chilwell have hailed the Brazilian, and have both revealed the instant impact he has had in the dressing room.
Zouma said of Thiago Silva: “You can see straightaway, as soon as he [Thiago Silva] walked through the door at Cobham, he gives advice to the players around him, he’s really good with people and you can definitely see he has very good leadership skills.
“Everyone has welcomed Thiago into the group and we are all happy he’s with us at Chelsea.
“I’m very excited to work with Thiago,” Kurt Zouma added on a personal note, “but I don’t think I’m the only one, a lot of the guys here at Chelsea feel exactly the same. We are all excited to play with him and to learn from him. He’s got great experience at the highest level, he’s won a lot of titles and last season he played in the Champions League final.
“For me, he’s got everything. He’s calm on the ball, he can defend very well, his positioning is great. I’m very happy he’s here and excited to learn from him.”
Ben Chilwell also said: “Ever since he came in the building, when he is in the room he has a presence about him, and he makes everyone want to do well and standards will never slip, which they shouldn’t anyway.
“He demands quality and assures the whole team around him so it is great to have him in there with us, and he talks throughout the whole game.” Silva has won 20 major honours during a distinguished football career at club level, as well as the Copa America and Confederations Cup for Brazil, for whom he has 89 caps.