Current Chelsea FC defender Thiago Silva is confirming that he was offered a very late contract extension deal by his now-former club Paris Saint-Germain.
Silva played in his final game with PSG during last month’s UEFA Champions League final against FC Bayern Munich. The Brazilian’s contract expired following the game and after being told for months by PSG’s sporting director Leonardo that his deal was not going to be extended for another season, he was convinced that the club truly aimed to part ways. But after watching his stout Champions League performances over the knockout stage, PSG thought otherwise.
For the first time since leaving the club, Silva revealed the details (via Sky Sports) on PSG’s late attempt to re-sign him.
“Leonardo called me and asked me to extend my contract for two months to cover the Champions League finals,” Silva said during his first press conference with Chelsea. “I said, ‘OK, no problem’, because I wanted to continue to remain with the group right to the end. So my thinking was that after the Champions League I wouldn’t be there any longer. I definitely spoke to my agent about this and we looked into other options for my future.
“After the Champions League final, returning to Paris, I had a meeting with Leonardo and we talked about my intentions and the possibility of me staying. But on the Monday after the Champions League, I had already spoken to my representatives and had already given the OK to Chelsea. I’d already made my decision.”
Silva comments echo much of what his agent said last month. Leonardo talked with Silva after the Champions League final and aimed to keep the defender for at least one more season, but the Brazilian did not want to be disloyal to Chelsea as he had already agreed to join the Premier League side on a free transfer agreement.
Had Leonardo attempted to sign Silva to a contract extension deal before the Champions League knockout stage, it is safe to say that the defender would have agreed to stay on with the club. But now, it is just a what-if for PSG.
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