Chelsea have the youngest squad in the Premier League right now but will have to replace Thiago Silva sooner rather than later and Jarrad Branthwaite could be the perfect candidate.
Thiago Silva has been one of the few Chelsea players this season to come away from the campaign with any credit.
However, he can’t go on forever and the £75m-rated Everton defender is the player Mauricio Pochettino should be looking at as his successor.
Thiago Silva will be approaching his 40th birthday when the Premier League season comes to an end.
While he’s not indicated that he wants to retire from football any time soon, his performances will eventually drop off even if he’s still a brilliant player right now.
Silva a difficult act to follow at Stamford Bridge
Chelsea signed Thiago Silva from Paris Saint-Germain back in 2020, initially on a three-year deal.
His displays have been extraordinary ever since, earning one of the Premier League’s oldest players a contract extension that runs until the end of this season.
The Brazilian has already made 20 league appearances this season and found the back of the net against Manchester City in their incredible 4-4 draw.
He could still help Chelsea to a major cup final this month too as Mauricio Pochettino’s side welcomes Middlesbrough next week looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit in the Carabao Cup.
It might be the club’s best route into Europe next season but Chelsea might have to consider replacing Thiago Silva before then and Branthwaite looks like a fantastic option.
Branthwaite improving all the time at Everton
Sean Dyche was parachuted in at Goodison Park last season to try and guide the club away from relegation once again.
The Toffees have flirted with the bottom three for some time but the Englishman did a fine job as he secured their place in the Premier League.
He would have wished he had Jarrad Branthwaite available who was impressing on loan at PSV Eindhoven.
So much so, that rivals Liverpool were considering a move for him if Everton went down.
Branthwaite slotted straight into Everton’s team this season and has been brilliant, with Sue Smith describing him as a ‘class act’ on Sky Sports News this season.
His performances have unsurprisingly drawn attention from elsewhere with some of Europe’s biggest clubs taking notice.
HITC Football understands that Chelsea are among the clubs that are huge admirers of Branthwaite and with Thiago Silva now in the last six months of his contract, the time might be right to move for the England Under-21 international.
Chelsea should move for Branthwaite as Silva replacement
Pochettino already has the likes of Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi and Levi Colwill in his squad to step up if Silva moves on in the near future.
However, HITC Football understands that Liverpool will test Chelsea’s resolve for Colwill.
If he and Silva depart then Chelsea will need to reinforce that area of the pitch and Branthwaite stands out as an option.
The 21-year-old typically plays on the left side of a back four or back three, a role that Silva has occasionally been asked to play despite being right-footed.
Branthwaite ranks in the top 20% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles and interceptions.
That latter stat is what really stands out when looking for a Silva replacement who is notorious for reading the game better than most.
Chelsea might be put off by his price tag considering how much they’ve already spent under Todd Boehly.
But they can’t afford to miss out on top options when they become available and given Everton’s financial difficulties, the Blues could be in a strong negotiating position.
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