Thiago Silva eyeing contract extension at Chelsea
Thiago Silva says his early Premier League appearances have left him with headaches, but he is looking to earn a contract extension at Chelsea.
Silva joined Chelsea on a free transfer in August, having not had his contract extended at Paris Saint-Germain.
The ex-PSG captain is 36 yet has quickly had an impact at Stamford Bridge, avoiding defeat in his first eight games in all competitions and helping the Blues climb to fifth in the Premier League, a competition that has already left an impression on the centre-back.
Away with Brazil on international duty, Silva was asked how English football compares to Ligue 1 and Serie A, where he played for Milan.
"They are three very different football schools," he said. "I have had a great learning experience in Italy, one of the best schools for the back line and defensive phase.
"I also had great companions in my early days like [Paolo] Maldini and [Alessandro] Nesta, with whom I played for two years, so I was able to learn a lot from them.
"The French championship is a little more physical, stronger and now PSG has a dominance over the opponents and we had to risk a little more.
"And now in the English championship, the last two games I ended up with a lot of headaches because there are aerial plays at all times and, with a very high pace of play, it is very different from the other two leagues.
"I have learned from all that and I put it into practice to help the younger players."
Silva has contested five aerial duels in each of his past two Premier League appearances, against Sheffield United and Burnley, having had five in total across his first three games in the competition.
The Brazil international has won eight of his 15 aerial duels this season.
In Ligue 1 in 2019-2020, Silva contested five or more aerial duels on four occasions, winning 31 of 50 across the campaign - the lowest totals of his time at PSG.
Silva has seemingly not been disheartened by his initial experiences at Chelsea and instead has his sights set on an extension to the 12-month deal he signed in August, which has the option of a further year.
"This is my first experience in the Premier League but I hope to continue doing well and to have a contract renewal as well," he said.
Silva has made five blocks so far this season, the most of any Chelsea defender, while only centre-back partner Kurt Zouma (36) can better his 18 clearances.
Fikayo Tomori (96.6 per cent), who has played just 45 minutes, is the sole team-mate who beats Silva's passing accuracy of 92.8 per cent.
