Brazil defender Thiago Silva will leave Chelsea at the end of the season after four years at the club.
The 39-year-old Silva made the announcement on Monday, saying he is leaving the door open for a return to Chelsea “in another role.”
“Goodbyes are for those that leave and don’t come back,” he said in a message to Chelsea’s fans. “I intend on coming back one day.”
Silva joined Chelsea in 2020 after his contract at Paris Saint-Germain expired. He said he only planned to stay at the English club for one season.
He continued playing for the team after winning the Champions League at the end of his first season there. Now his sons are playing in Chelsea’s youth teams.
“It’s a source of great pride to be a part of the Chelsea family - literally because my sons are here,” Silva said. “I hope they can continue their careers here at this victorious club that many players wish to be part of.”
Chelsea has five league games left this season but is languishing in ninth place after an inconsistent campaign under first-year coach Mauricio Pochettino.
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry rally to win Zurich Classic team event in a playoff
New Orleans, Apr 29 (AP) Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry received a standing ovation at historic, creole French Quarter restaurant Arnaud’s on the eve of their final round at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans team event.
They also had the largest, loudest galleries at the TPC Louisiana, where the charismatic, 34-year-old McIlroy, had not previously played.
“He’s getting old, but he still moves the needle a little bit,” Lowry joked as McIlroy chuckled. “Rory brings a crowd and people love him and we’ve gotten a lot of love in New Orleans. We’ve had just the best week.”
McIlroy and Lowry won Sunday, beating Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer with a nervy par on the first hole of a playoff.
Trainer pushed a 6-foot par putt to the right of the cup to end it, with Lowry lifting a laughing McIlroy off the ground with a bear hug on the green.
“To win any PGA Tour event is very cool, but to do it with one of your closest friends - we’ve known each other for a long, long time, probably like over 20 years,” McIlroy said. “To think about where we met and where we’ve come from, to be on this stage and do this together - really, really cool journey that we’ve been a part of.”
McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, won his 25th PGA Tour title and first of the season. Lowry, of Ireland, claimed his third PGA Tour victory. Each walked away with about $1.29 million and 400 FedEx Cup points apiece.
“People have come out in the thousands to support us. It’s not lost on me how cool that is,” McIlroy said. “Every time I get to play in front of thousands of people, the little boy in me just thinks it’s so cool and so exciting.”
The Irish tandem closed with a 4-under 68 in the alternate-shot final round in windy conditions to match Ramey and Trainer at 25-under 263.
Ramey and Trainer began the day tied for 27th at 16 under and shot to the top of the leaderboard with nine birdies between the seventh and 18th holes. They tied the alternate-shot tournament record of 63, but then had to wait nearly three hours to see if their lead would stand up.
