Chelsea have just received a boost in their bid to replace Thiago Silva at the end of the season.
Thiago Silva is set to depart Chelsea in the summer when his contract expires.
His exit would still leave Axel Disasi, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana and Trevoh Chalobah as centre-back options in Mauricio Pochettino‘s squad.
However, it looks like the Blues still want to sign a direct replacement for Silva.
In fact, journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed that Chelsea’s plan has always been to recruit another centre-half regardless of what happens with the Brazilian.
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Chelsea target now unlikely to sign new contract
So who exactly are Chelsea targeting to replace Silva? It will not be an easy task for whoever it is that does come in.
The 39-year-old has been a good servant for the club, making almost 150 appearances since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020.
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Last month, the Evening Standard reported that Chelsea are interested in signing Lille’s Leny Yoro to replace Silva at the back.
Since then, HITC has claimed that the 18-year-old is unlikely to put pen to paper on a fresh deal, which is good news for Chelsea. His existing contract expires next summer, meaning that Lille maybe forced to sell the French youngster now to avoid the risk of losing him for nothing.
Leny Yoro’s stats
Some of Yoro’s stats are not bad for a teenage defender still establishing himself.
For example, according to WhoScored, Yoro is making three clearances per game in Ligue 1 this season, which is the second-highest average in his squad. It is a good sign, showing that the France U21 international is learning to deal with danger.
Over the last year, Yoro has also recorded an average pass completion rate of 92.5% (FBref), so he can keep the ball.
However, the Lille star has ranked in the 16th percentile for progressive passes among centre-halves, so he could be much more adventurous with his passing.
As well as Yoro, Sporting Lisbon’s Ousmane Diomande is another central defender Chelsea are thought to be interested in.
