SILVA RELISHING GOLDEN CHANCE
Brazil star using Lampard to show age is no barrier
THIAGO SILVA claims he signed for Chelsea because boss Frank Lampard was also once written off for being too old.
Brazil icon Silva, 35, signed a one- year deal last month after leaving Paris Saint- Germain as a free agent.
And the defender has hit back at critics who say he is past it – just as they did to Lampard, right, when n the then midfielder r joined Manchester City y in 2014 at the age of 36.
Silva said: “In n football, there are very ry strong preconceptions ions regarding the age of players.
“But I know about his experience when he first arrived at City, theoretically at the end of his career. He endured the same thing I’ve gone through.
“So even from the outside, without knowing me personally, he knows how hard I work to remain at the highest level. The confidence he showed in me was all it took.
“For me, that confidence was the single most important factor. To hear he believed in me, he thought I could come here and make a positive contribution.
“You can be sure I’ll do everything I can to repay that confidence.”
Chelsea beat Brighton in their league opener before losing 2- 0 at home to Liverpool on Sunday.
Silva, who has won 21 trophies in a glittering career, has a taste for silve silverware and insists the club will prove they can fig fight for the title.
The defender, c could make his d debut in the
L League
Cu Cup again against
Barnsley tomorrow, said: “What motivates me day by day is the hunger to win.
“My main goal is to win the league title.
“Of course, there are going to be times when things don’t go 100 per cent to plan for us.
“We’ve got a lot of new players and sometimes that takes time.” who