'I’m already a bit of a manager' - Chelsea defender Thiago Silva confirms plans to head into coaching after retirement

At 39-years-old and with his contract at Chelsea set to expire at the end of the season, Silva is thought to be coming close to retirement from the game.

The Brazil international has enjoyed a glittering, extensive career at the top of world football. After spells in Brazil and Russia, he spent three seasons as a star at AC Milan, where he won a Serie A title, before going on to lift seven Ligue 1 titles in eight years at Paris Saint-Germain.

Chelsea snapped the veteran up in 2020 and he remains a mainstay in Mauricio Pochettino's starting XI. Alongside goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, he is the only Chelsea player to play every minute of Premier League football so far this season.

While he plans on continuing for at least one more season, he is eyeing a step into coaching once he does decide to call time on his career.

He told The Guardian: "On the pitch I’m already a bit of a manager, right? As I watch the game from the back, I see a lot of situations. And then I warn [the others] about certain situations. I talk to the staff, to Pochettino, so that we don’t make mistakes. Sometimes, only us on the pitch realise what’s wrong and what could be done better. And there are situations that those who are off the pitch, with a clear mind, see much better. This relationship is important.

The Brazil international will likely be named in the first-team when Chelsea visit Tottenham in the Premier League on Monday.