Chelsea may not need to replace Thiago Silva this summer given they have a player bound for Mauricio Pochettino's starting XI who will feel exactly like a new signing. Injuries have limited Wesley Fofana to only 20 appearances in almost two years at Stamford Bridge, but the Frenchman is firmly on the comeback trail.
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Pochettino should be in a position to welcome Fofana back into the first-team fold by the time the 2024/25 season gets underway. And his arrival, if it's on schedule, will come just in time, as Chelsea look ahead to their first campaign without Silva since 2019.
The 39-year-old has already agreed to join Fluminense after the Blues' last game of the season later this month. And while his absence will leave a gaping hole in the squad, Fofana could be the player to fill it.
The defender made such an impression in just one injury-free full season at Leicester City that Chelsea forked out a whopping £70million for his signature, making him one of the most expensive centre-backs in history.
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What happened next was mightily unfortunate. Fofana's first season in west London was blighted by recurring knee issues, and his second was ruined altogether by a cruciate ligament tear last July.
Chelsea have developed a tendency to plug gaps in their squad by spending extortionately on transfer fees since Boehly took charge of the club in 2022. But Fofana's comeback may convince the American billionaire to splash his cash in other positions this summer.
Speaking after Fofana scored the winner in a 1-0 victory over Leeds United last year, Match of the Day pundit and Premier League hero Danny Murphy drew parallels between the Frenchman and Silva.
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"When you play for Chelsea, you need to be good on the ball, you need to be [able to play] forward passes with confidence," explained the former Liverpool man.
"We see the progressive passing, somebody similar to Silva, who’s got the confidence to play on the front foot and get Chelsea up the pitch, which they’ve lacked in recent weeks. His passing is excellent, he’s comfortable on the ball, and he’s a threat in both boxes."
Also lessening the need for Pochettino to go after new blood at centre-back are the likes of Axel Disasi, Levi Colwill, Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah, who are already battling amongst themselves for first-team minutes.
