The ‘fantastic’ Thiago Silva could still do a job in the Premier League when he leaves Paris Saint-Germain this summer, Frank Leboeuf has told ESPN FC while discussing a deal to take the Brazil international to Arsenal.
It is not often a player with a CV and a track-record as impressive as this becomes available for absolutely nothing.
But with his PSG contract set to expire in July, a man who was picked up a grand total of eight Serie A and Ligue 2 titles is set to become a free agent.
Despite the fact that he will be celebrating his 36th birthday in September, Silva is not expected to be short of offers.
90Min report that Arsenal are one of five Premier League clubs considering a bargain swoop, with Wolves, Everton, West Ham and Newcastle United circling too.
And Leboeuf, the former Chelsea defender, believes that one of the grand old men of European football could still be a huge hit at the Emirates.
“He is definitely a fantastic player. He is not done yet. He is still in a good shape and he will fit in (at his next club,” Lebouef says.
“He will fit in at many, many clubs in the Premier League for sure.”
Leboeuf did point out, however, that Silva might not have the iron-clad mentality you would expect from a man with a staggering 26 trophies under his belt.
Silva may be a huge figure in Paris and Brazil but he also played a major role in two of the most infamous defeats of the last ten years – that 6-1 collapse at the hands of Barcelona and the 7-1 World Cup semi-final thumping against Germany on home soil.
“Thiago Silva has an attitude problem. You sense he’s not invested, [he’s] sometimes in a panic,” Lebouef would say.
Maybe he is not the ‘natural-born leader’ Arsenal need after all.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
