Chelsea-bound Estevao Willian shares what Thiago Silva recently told him about joining Premier League giants

Estevao Willian, who is set to join Chelsea next summer, recently faced Thiago Silva in the Brazilian league. He later shared what the Blues defender told him about his impending move to the Premier League.

The west London side have signed Estevao Willian from Palmeiras for a reported fee of £56 million (via Goal). He will join them next summer after he turns 18. The Brazilian is one of the most highly-rated prospects in the world and has been excellent for Palmeiras.

However, Willian couldn't make an impact as his side lost 1-0 against Fluminese on Sunday, December 8. After the game, the youngster spoke about what Thiago Silva, who plays for Fluminese, told him about his impending move to Stamford Bridge.

“Thiago Silva just told me after our game that Chelsea is top and they’re waiting for me with open arms,” Willian said (via ESPN Brazil).

Willian has scored 19 goals and provided 12 assists in 50 games across competitions this season for Palmeiras.

Thiago Silva, meanwhile, joined Chelsea on a free transfer after leaving Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2020. He made 155 appearances for the side and also contributed nine goals and four assists. He won one UEFA Champions League, one FIFA Club World Cup, and one UEFA Super Cup with the Blues.

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What Thiago Silva said while announcing his departure from Chelsea

Thiago Silva was not only an incredible defender for Chelsea but also a leader in the squad. With the new owners focused on signing youngsters, the Brazilian was key in guiding some players on and off the pitch. Hence, he earned plenty of respect and love from the club's fans.

Announcing his departure in April 2024, Silva expressed his gratitude and also opened the door for a potential future return in a different role.

“I think in everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all,” Silva said (via The Guardian). “But, unfortunately, everything has a start, a middle and an end. That doesn’t mean that this is a definitive end. I hope to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return, albeit in another role."

“It’s an indescribable love; I can only say thank you,” he added. “Obviously, when I started here, it was during the pandemic so there wasn’t any fans in the stadium. But through social media, it became something very special to me and then when the fans started coming back to the stadium and life was getting back to normal, I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here.”

Silva joined his boyhood club Fluminese on a free transfer in the summer and is likely to retire there as well.