Chelsea star Thiago Silva is set to have his contract extended after helping the Blues to Champions League glory.
Silva arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer and signed a one-year deal, with an option of a further year.
That option is now set to be triggered, following an impress first season in the Premier League.
And club legend Gianfranco Zola claims the 36-year-old’s experience has been vital in aiding Thomas Tuchel’s young team this season.
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Zola told talkSPORT: “I think one of the successes of this Chelsea team has been has been that he has been able to mix talented young players with more good experienced players.
“I do believe this is a very good mix. You have to have both because they both push each other.
“Thiago, I don’t know him personally, but I can see the way he behaves on the pitch and the way he plays, he must be very important for the young ones, in terms of being an example and ways to conduct yourself on the pitch.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea are looking to add new players to their squad this summer, with Tuchel set to be handed a big transfer kitty by Roman Abramovich.
“Two or three could be very, very good,” Tuchel said of new transfers in the aftermath of beating Manchester City. “We don’t need another seven.”
But six is the number that the Daily Telegraph name as being players of interest to the German.
Romelu Lukaku and Harry Kane are first as the Blues target a striker. The former is seen as more realistic, particularly with Inter Milan’s financial struggles. Previous reports have suggested £100m as a potential fee.
Then Tuchel wants ‘a midfielder and at least one new defender’, with Adama Traore a ‘surprise’ option – perhaps at £30m – to compete with Reece James at right wing-back. Jonas Hoffman of Borussia Monchengladbach is seen as a viable alternative.
Declan Rice is the main target in central midfield, while Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni is a cheaper and more attainable back-up.
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