Chelsea defender Thiago Silva has hinted at signing a contract extension as he reveals his desire to play until he is 40 years old after speaking to AC Milan forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
The 38-year-old has been one of Chelsea's stand-out players since his arrival in 2020, despite being the oldest member of the squad.
The Brazilian has proved his worth and importance to a Chelsea side under Thomas Tuchel.
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However, with the German being dismissed as head coach and Graham Potter replacing him, it remains to be seen as to what role Silva will play under the 47-year-old.
He played the full match in Potter's first game but made a costly mistake in the Blues' 1-1 draw with FC Salzburg.
With his contract expiring in 2023, Silva will be hopeful of playing his way into earning a new deal in London, as he did last campaign to earn another one-year rolling contract.
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The defender is keen to play into his 40's, as he has previously admitted.
Speaking to the press, as quoted by Chelsea's official website, Silva discussed the potential to play until he is in his 40's before hinting at an extended stay at Stamford Bridge.
"It’s very important for me that I can play on this level at this age but it’s not easy, especially in the Premier League," he said.
"When I finish training, I come back home and think about how I can repair myself for tomorrow.
"The intensity is high from the first minute to the last one so you have to be ready all the time. I might be 38 years old but I think I can help this team as much as possible."
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The Brazilian continued to use former teammate Ibrahimovic as an example for playing at an older age.
He continued: "I talk often with Zlatan and recently more often because Chelsea will play against AC Milan in the Champions league.
"My aim is to play until I'm 40 years old but I don’t know if it will be this level or this competition.
"‘It depends on this season and we’ll see what will happen in the World Cup. It also depends on a contract extension but yeah, my aim is to play until I’m 40."
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It remains to be seen as to whether Silva will be able to continue into his 40's at Stamford Bridge, with his Brazil manager Tite revealing that he makes things look easy on the football pitch.
He heaped praise on Silva, joking: "He will be a good coach. And he’s bad for football.
"Do you know why he’s bad for football? Because he makes things so easy and they’re hard as hell.
"He manages to make the clearest, most lucid, transparent decisions with impressive technical performance."
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Topics: Chelsea, Thiago Silva, Football, Brazil
Nick Emms