Chelsea legend ‘an idea’ for sensational January return

Carlo Garganese

Updated: 3 Dec 2025 14:20 GMT
4 min read

Brazil legend Thiago Silva is "an idea" for a sensational return to former club AC Milan.

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Nicolo Schira reports that Milan could look to try and bring back their former star in January.

Current ETV

Thiago Silva

D (C)

Fluminense

Thiago Silva

D (C)

Fluminense

ETV Range

€0.8M - €1.2M

Milan are on the market for another centre back in the winter window and Silva is one of the players they are looking at.

Despite now being 41, Silva is still playing at a very high level for Fluminense and he shone at the Club World Cup this past summer.

Could Thiago Silva return to Milan?

Schira explains that Silva has a great relationship with Milan director Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as well as coach Max Allegri.

His contract at Fluminense expires in the summer of 2026 and he would be open to a sensational return to Milan.

However, Fluminense do not want to lose Silva in January, which is a sticking point of any potential deal.

The veteran developed into one of the best defenders in Europe during three years at Milan between 2009 and 2012, winning one Scudetto.

However, he was forced to be sold to PSG due to financial problems and he later starred at Chelsea where he won the Champions League in 2021.

The 41-year-old left Chelsea on a free transfer in the summer of 2024 to return to his boyhood club Fluminense. At the time, it seemed as though Silva's long European adventure had come to an end for good.

Although his son, Isago, stayed behind and is currently playing in Chelsea's academy, nobody would have expected that Silva could make a spectacular return to Europe as a player.

Silva proved a transformative signing for Fluminense when he rejoined them last year, saving them from the brink of relegation by marshalling a defence that kept 10 consecutive clean sheets.

This year, the veteran has made a very impressive 43 appearances despite repeatedly dealing with injuries.

It remains to be seen if anything will come of this, but it would be one of the most sensational transfers of the year if it were to materialise.

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