A quick look at Chelsea’s team from this season shows that Thiago Silva was third in Premier League minutes player.
He ended up with 2651, ahead of even Mason Mount, who had 2365 according to WhoScored. That made him the most used outfield player in the squad this season behind only Antonio Rudiger.
It’s a superb record for the 37 year old, but it’s also an important reminder that the Brazilian needs backup. He will be 38 next season, and we’ve just lost both Andreas Christensen and Rudiger in his position.
Silva still plays at a ridiculously high level week to week, but the number of rests he needs will only increase, especially with a mid season World Cup, and it’s critical that we keep that in mind when we make our transfer moves this summer.
Signing one first team defender is not enough – and even signing two is a little risky considering Silva’s age.
