TRANSFERS: Thiago Silva says Neymar “has to” join Chelsea - but here’s why it is a bad idea

Neymar has been linked with multiple clubs after reportedly being put up for sale by PSG and one of the mooted destinations for the Brazilian superstar is Chelsea.

Brazilian centre-back, Thiago Silva has now publicly tried to convince his compatriot and friend to join him at Stamford Bridge.

The 37-year-old centre-back made the appeal while speaking to Brazilian media as seen on The Sun UK but it is worth exploring if it is a good idea for both Neymar and Chelsea.

Thiago Silva and Neymar’s connection

"He has to go to Chelsea. If it happens, it will be for the best. He needs no comments. And on top of that, he's a super friend. So far, I don’t know anything, but I hope it comes to fruition," Thiago Silva told Brazilian journalists.

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And of course, his stance is understandable, Thiago Silva and Neymar both play for the Brazilian national team and were teammates at PSG from 2017 till Silva departed for Chelsea in 2020.

Thiago Silva and Neymar are close friends Mirror UK

His desire for Neymar is clearly based on emotion and is probably not the most reliable as he hasn’t thought straight about the effect of the potential transfer on all involved.

But beyond Thiago Silva’s obvious desire for another Brazilian companion in the Chelsea squad, here’s why Neymar at Chelsea might not work out.

Chelsea needs stability, not Neymar

PSG reportedly would take around £50-60 million for Neymar, a small fraction of the £198 million they paid to bring him from Barcelona back in 2017.

That in itself is a bad sign because a player of his calibre and undeniable quality should cost way more than that, especially with three years still left on his contract.

Neymar Junior Pulse Live Uganda

PSG are trying to offload him for off-pitch reasons such as his attitude and injury record, two factors that have significantly undermined Neymar’s huge talent throughout his career.

Is it really advisable for Chelsea to take on all that baggage right now? Especially with the club in a transition period and under new management, they could benefit from stability and Neymar is the opposite of stable.

Is he worth the price?

Although a £50 - 60 million transfer fee is modest for a player of Neymar’s calibre, his wages are anything but and it is worth asking if he’s worth it anymore at this point.

Neymar joined PSG for a world football transfer fee of 22O Million Euros Twitter

The Brazilian currently earns €625,000 per week at PSG according to reports and while there’s no question that Chelsea can afford it, the bone of contention is should they?

That figure is more than double what the current highest earner at Chelsea, Ngolo Kante (in the absence of Lukaku) gets. Neymar’s arrival will not only destroy Chelsea’s wage structure, it will also cause disharmony in the squad.

Neymar earns at least more than double the wages of any current Chelsea player AFP

And for what? A 30-year-old with a few good years left? Bear in mind he would also be playing Premier League football for the first time so there are no assurances that he wouldn’t be just another expensive flop.

The thought of Neymar in blue might be appealing to Thiago Silva and Chelsea fans alike but ultimately, the risks far outweigh the reward.