Farewell, Thiago Silva: The free signing who became a certified Chelsea legend and will be impossible to replace

Regardless of his qualities, no-one could have foreseen how Silva's Chelsea career would ultimately play out. By his own admission, he only intended to stay for one year.

Having been unceremoniously released by Paris Saint-Germain in 2020 after eight years of service, the Blues - with then-manager Frank Lampard pushing for the deal - took a calculated risk on the 34-year-old free agent; given his quality and experience, surely he would have the legs for one decent season?

Quite understandably, the veteran defender was only handed a 12-month contract in what was widely expected to be a stop-gap decision after the signing of a more costly, young centre-back was overlooked in favour of splurges on attacking players such as Kai Havertz and Timo Werner.

Four years and 151 appearances later, Thiago is preparing to leave having been a lynchpin of the Blues' backline throughout that time, with Squawka naming him statistically among the best centre-backs in the Premier League since his arrival, second only to Liverpool stalwart Virgil van Dijk of players who have played 1,800 minutes or more.

He has formed an unbreakable bond with the Stamford Bridge faithful in a period where their resolve has rarely been so sternly tested, by both off-field issues and dire underperformance on it. A true master of the art of making typically ugly defensive tasks beautiful, that connection has been forged through countless goal-line clearances, umpteen perfect slide tackles, innumerable exquisitely-timed blocks and infinite booming headers, as well as a clear understanding of what it means to play for Chelsea.

Alongside all of that, of course, he etched his name indelibly into Chelsea folklore on a fateful night in Porto in 2021.

Silva's legacy would arguably already be secure even if his greatest night in a Chelsea shirt was erased from history, but he will be remembered as a club legend after adding an elusive Champions League winner's medal to his personal collection at the end of his debut season.

Although he struggled with untimely injuries, Thiago was a key member of Thomas Tuchel's unfancied Blues side, sitting at the centre of a back three as they passed through the knockout rounds of the competition, seeing off the likes of Atletico Madrid, Porto and Real Madrid en route to the final.

A year after suffering defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich in the final with PSG, with Tuchel his manager at he time, Thiago had another chance - although Chelsea were clear underdogs against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City juggernaut.

Chelsea would, of course, defy the odds - but Silva's name was not up in lights at full-time; in a cruel twist of fate, the disconsolate defender was forced off injured in the 39th minute, with Havertz scoring what would prove to be the winning goal three minutes later.

Nevertheless, this was the reward for more than a decade of tireless exertions at the very top of the European game, as he added a Champions League crown to his long list of personal accolades and solidified his undying bond with the fanbase, who have serenaded him with the chant 'He came from PSG, to win the Champions League' ever since.

Where would Chelsea be without the 39-year-old veteran? That doesn't really bear thinking about. The club has been, and indeed is still, going through an unprecedented period of upheaval that began more than two years ago when Roman Abramovich was forced to sell the club under government sanctions.

The new owners brought chaos, but Thiago has been a constant and has stood up as a pillar of leadership on and off the pitch as the average age of the squad has plummeted around him.

He has been outspoken in his criticism of the haphazard way the Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium has been running the club, saying after Graham Potter's sacking last year: "I think the first step has been made, an incorrect step, but it has been made. We can’t be blaming the managers if we don’t take responsibility. It’s a hard period for the club, with a lot of indecision. Change of ownership, new players arriving – we had to increase the size of the changing room because it didn’t fit the size of the squad."

He even predicted that Chelsea would continue to face problems this season as a result of the turmoil: "Some can’t make the squad, we signed eight in January, we need to stop and put a strategy in place otherwise next season we could make the same mistakes. Everybody talks too much about replacing managers."

Thiago is revered among the rest of the Chelsea squad, just as he is the world over, and it has been reported that current boss Mauricio Pochettino has called upon him to address his inexperienced team-mates on multiple occasions this season, including at half-time against Aston Villa on Saturday before a stirring second-half comeback salvaged a 2-2 draw.

Rather alarmingly as their transition drags on, Chelsea will have to face up to the reality of life without Thiago this summer, and any of their decision-makers who have an ounce of sense will know that he is quite simply irreplaceable.

That's not that Chelsea aren't well stocked in terms of central defenders; after some lavish spending in recent years, they will still have Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile and Wesley Fofana on the books, as well as academy products Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah.

However, while Disasi has done well in his debut campaign, Badiashile has been erratic and Fofana has been plagued by injuries, while Colwill has had his own fitness issues and Chalobah is widely expected to be sold this summer for pure profit in order to balance the books.

Not only will Silva leave a gaping whole at the club and in the line-up, then, but his exit will also likely spark a rethink and potential overhaul of Chelsea's defensive ranks - one that will not doubt come at great expense. It will be impossible to replace his quality, leadership and experience.

Thiago's tearful farewell to Chelsea was testament to the mutual love and respect between himself and the football club as a whole, and a reflection of the character of the man. Despite his steely in-game demeanour, he has always worn his heart on his sleeve and was clearly endeared to a fanbase that immediately welcomed him to Stamford Bridge with chants of 'Oh Thiago Silva'.

In an emotional message to the club and its supporters, Silva said: "I think in everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all. But, unfortunately, everything has a start, a middle and an end. It’s an indescribable love. I can only say thank you. I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here. It is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances, but when there is a mutual love, it’s even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue.

"The way in which I came to the club, with the support of the club, I got to the club as a leader even though I didn’t feel like it having arrived as the new guy. [It’s been a] dream, definitely a dream. Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could achieve such great things and win one of the best professional titles, the Champions League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world."

But this love story might not be over just yet; it was revealed in 2020 that Thiago is working towards his coaching badges, and he has spoken more recently about wanting to continue in football once he hangs up his boots - and that could be at Stamford Bridge, as he reportedly wants to make London his home once his playing career is over.

That was a message he reiterated in his goodbye to Chelsea, saying: "That doesn’t mean that this is a definitive end. I hope to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role here. Goodbyes are for those that leave and don’t come back. I intend on coming back one day..."

One of the most intelligent defenders to ever grace the game, there is no doubt that Silva boasts all the attributes to be a top-level coach, and perhaps a manager himself. If Chelsea form part of that future, then he will be welcomed with open arms as a club legend, and one of their greatest signings in the modern era.