Silva joined the Blues back in 2020 on a free transfer and has been a stalwart in defence over the past three years. However, the Brazil international is not getting any younger and Chelsea need to plan for the eventuality that he moves on in the coming months.

There has been no sign of talks over a new contract at Stamford Bridge after Silva extended his deal until the end of this season back in February this year. The Brazilian defender is by far the most experienced player in Pochettino’s squad, but it is looking increasingly likely that he will leave Chelsea at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Blues have signed the likes of Benoit Badiashile and Axel Disasi this year as they plan for the future without Silva. Wesley Fofana has struggled with injuries since arriving at the club, but the Frenchman is likely to return to action towards the end of this season.

Levi Colwill has been played out of position to cover for injuries, but there is no doubt that his long-term position will be at the heart of Chelsea’s defence. As the January transfer window edges closer, The Athletic reporter David Ornstein has hinted that the Blues are unlikely to retain Silva past this season and are already planning to sign a replacement for the Brazilian.

When asked about Chelsea’s transfer business ahead of January during The Athletic’s Q&A session, Ornstein said: “I expect Chelsea’s recruitment to be run by their two sporting directors, supported by the ownership, and Pochettino will have an input but no increased power. As explained in previous weeks, there’s an anticipation they sign a forward in January or the summer and quite possibly bolster at centre-back too, because Thiago Silva is not likely to be retained.

“There will be more outgoings too. That should assist Chelsea’s attempts to recruit while complying with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.”

Both of Silva’s sons play in Chelsea’s academy and one of them, Isago da Silva, has a longer contract than their father, until 2025. This has sparked speculation that Silva could remain at the club until 2025 – but with no ongoing talks over a renewal, that option is looking unlikely.

Chelsea could raise a significant amount of funds in January through player sales and look to sign a long-term successor to the veteran defender. Marc Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah, Ian Maatsen and Noni Madueke are all rumoured to be for sale ahead of the winter transfer window opening next month.