Thiago Silva sent texts to persuade former PSG teammate into joining Chelsea ‘project’ this summer: Report

As Chelsea look to sign a center-half this summer, Football London reports that Thiago Silva has exchanged texts with his former Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammate Presnel Kimpembe to persuade him to join the Blues.

While the exact contents of the texts are not available, Football London reports that it is understood that Silva informed Kimpembe about Chelsea's vision and project for the future.

Kimpembe has been one of the few defenders that Thomas Tuchel has shortlisted to bolster his defensive lineup, as reported by BILD's Christian Falk.

They need to sign a seasoned defender before the 2022-23 season kicks in as Antonio Rudiger has left the club for Real Madrid. The German defender was one of the standout players for the Blues over the last couple of seasons and the sooner a capable replacement for him is signed the better.

Additionally, Andreas Christensen has also left Chelsea as a free agent

Kimpembe's contract with PSG runs out in 2024 and he might be looking for a new challenge ahead of the 2022-23 campaign. He said at a press conference ahead of France's UEFA Nations League match against Austria that he will be meeting with the club's new management to assess his options. He said (as per GFFN):

“Everyone knows the love I have for Paris Saint-Germain. It’s reciprocal. I’ll be 27 in August, it’s a key moment in my career. I’m waiting to meet with the new management with regard to the club’s project. We’ll have to speak very soon.”

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PSG and Chelsea have exchanged quite a few players over the years

Thiago Silva is the latest player to have completed a transfer between PSG and Chelsea, joining the Premier League club on a free transfer in the summer of 2020.

There have been several high-profile exchanges between the two clubs in recent years. David Luiz joined PSG from Chelsea in 2014 and then returned to London in 2016.

Alex and Claude Makelele were the other two big names who had joined the Ligue 1 giants from the Blues in the 2011-12 and 2008-09 seasons respectively.

So with a history of transactions between the two clubs, the chances of a deal being agreed upon between the two sides are good. Thomas Tuchel spent two seasons at PSG and Kimpembe rose to prominence under the German coach, so this might also play a role in convincing the Frenchman to join Silva at Stamford Bridge.

Former teammates can play a significant role in transfers as they can provide first-hand experience of what to expect at their new club. It remains to be seen if Silva can use his connection with Kimpembe to the Blues' favor.