Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva has suggested that he won’t renew his contract at Stamford Bridge beyond next summer.

After being knocked out at the quarter-final stages of the Champions League by Real Madrid on Tuesday evening, Silva said it may well be his last game in the competition:

“It has been a very difficult season and a frustrating one for me personally. It might have been my last match in the Champions League. I have only one year left on my contract and my career is reaching the end. It’s a very sad day. But I think we must continue working to try to win as many matches until the end of the season.”

Silva will turn 39 in September so he may feel that next season will be his last at the top level. However, he has defied expectations up until now with his body holding up, for the most part, despite his age.

The defender has recently had a spell on the treatment table due to a knee injury but he has still made 29 appearances this season. Considering the standard required to play in the Premier League, it is remarkable that he remains able to consistently perform at the highest level. From the sound of things, though, it appears that he may not stay in London much longer.