Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has told former Paris Saint-Germain teammate and Brazilian national team colleague Neymar to join him at Stamford Bridge this summer having been linked with a summer move.
Neymar has been heavily linked with an exit from PSG in the coming months that would call time on his five-year spell in the French capital and Thomas Tuchel has been linked with a reunion with the attacker he managed at the Parc des Princes.
The 30-year-old is a player that Thiago Silva knows well, with the duo making a combined total of 138 appearances together for PSG, Brazil’s national team and Brazil’s Olympic side.
Asked about the links between his former club colleague and a move to Chelsea, speaking at an event in Recife, Brazil, the experienced Chelsea defender urged Neymar to move to London and play alongside him in the Premier League.
“He has to go to Chelsea,” Silva told JC (as published by Sport Witness ). “If it happens, it will be for the best. He needs no comments. So far, I don’t know anything, but I hope it comes to fruition.”
Chelsea have been heavily linked with adding multiple new names to their forward line this summer, with Neymar among the names touted with interest from Tuchel’s side.
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Reports on Tuesday evening suggested that Chelsea had come close to agreeing a deal worth £55m to sign Neymar’s Brazilian teammate Raphinha from Leeds United. The news comes after Raphinha had been heavily linked with interest from Barcelona, Arsenal and Newcastle United.
Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling has also been credited with interest from the Blues with only a year left on his current contract at the Etihad Stadium.
Chelsea lost centre-backs Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen on free transfers this summer with the duo not renewing their contracts at Stamford Bridge following the end of their respective deals.
Rudiger has already signed for Spanish giants and Champions League winners Real Madrid and while Christensen is yet to join a new club, he has been heavily linked with a switch to Barcelona.
Sevilla’s Jules Kounde, Manchester City’s Nathan Ake, Juventus ’s Matthijs De Ligt and RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol have all been named as potential options for Tuchel’s side to attempt to sign.
Chelsea are yet to make a signing since Todd Boehly bought the club from Roman Abramovich last month, although they are one of a number of clubs who have been linked with interest in Brighton and Hove Albion’s teenage left-back Zak Sturge, with Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United among the clubs also linked.
