Chelsea defender Thiago Silva will be leaving the club at the end of the season.
Thiago Silva confirmed in a video message to Chelsea supporters that he will be departing Stamford Bridge after four years there.
It will now be interesting to see who replaces the central defender.
Chelsea already have options from inside the club, while there is always a possibility that they will enter the transfer market and sign someone from another team.
Who could replace Thiago Silva at Chelsea?
Internally, Chelsea have Levi Colwill and Benoit Badiashile, who are both left footed.
Either of them could easily slot into the left centre-back position that Silva has taken up this season.
In terms of potential transfer targets, Chelsea have been linked with quite a few centre-halves.
For example, it was claimed last month that the Blues had started discussions with Sporting Lisbon over a deal for Ousmane Diomande.
Who should replace Thiago Silva at Chelsea?
If Chelsea are not going to go sign an experienced world-class central defender to replace Silva, then they may as well stick with what they have got.
That obviously includes Colwill, someone who is capable of making an impact now and in the future.
As per FBref, Colwill has ranked in the 88th percentile for tackles among centre-backs over the last year. He has also ranked in the 84th percentile for progressive carries.
The England international, then, is a capable tackler and can bring the ball out of defence.
Speaking about Colwill before the season started, Mauricio Pochettino told Chelsea’s official website: “At the moment I need to see him and get to know him better. He is a fantastic talent of course.”
All things considered, the 21-year-old is probably the natural heir to Silva.
Chelsea’s recent transfer activity, though, suggests that they will probably go out and sign someone to replace the former Paris Saint-Germain captain. But with Colwill around, it may not actually be necessary.