Fluminense confirm Thiago Silva transfer as Chelsea defender seals return to Brazil

Chelsea defender Thiago Silva will join Fluminense after his contract expires at the end of this season.

Silva confirmed he would be leaving Chelsea this summer in a tearful goodbye message last month.

The 39-year-old has proved a success ever since moving to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2020, helping them win the Champions League a year later.

Silva was named the club’s Player of the Year at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and has made over 150 appearances for Chelsea.

He will now be returning to his boyhood club, Fluminense, to see out the final few years of his career.

Silva has signed a contract until 2026 with the Brazilian side, who announced the news on Tuesday afternoon with the message: “The Monster is back”.

Chelsea have agreed to let Silva leave early to start life at his new club and he will depart them after their final game of the Premier League season against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge next week.

The centre-back will begin training with Fluminense then, but he cannot make his debut until the transfer window opens in July.

In a statement, Fluminense wrote: “The player will arrive in Rio de Janeiro to join the squad led by coach Fernando Diniz in about a month, after the end of his contract with Chelsea, in England, and complete the procedures for his move.

“The defender will only be able to play in games for the club from July 10th, when the international transfer window will open.”