According to TEAMtalk’s sources, the 39-year-old central defender will retire in Brazil at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has been working with a shortlist of players produced by scouts who have traveled all over Europe in recent months. Ousmane Diomande of Sporting Lisbon is one of the most notable players.

According to reports, the 19-year-old stood out to scouts during Cote d’Ivoire’s 1-1 tie with Morocco. He’s only made two appearances for his country, but he’s started every game so far this season for his club.

He was acquired by Sporting on the final day of the January transfer window last year from FC Midtjylland for £7 million.

However, given the competition for Diomande’s services at center defense, Chelsea may be inclined to exercise the player’s £69 million release clause.

While Diomande is a feasible goal for the summer of 2024, Pochettino’s ambition to sign a great striker may prevent the London club from paying heavily on a defensive option in the upcoming winter window.

According to our sources, Arsenal and Bayern Munich are both interested in signing him and have already contacted his agency at Prosport Global, so Chelsea may need to move quickly if they want to secure his services.

Sporting, who have Diomande under contract until 2027 and would require his entire release clause to move him in the middle of the season, are currently one point ahead of Benfica on the Liga Portugal table.

Meanwhile, previous transfers involving Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez and Mykhailo Mudryk demonstrate the club’s ability to complete major transactions in the month of January.

Diomande’s future is bright, as he is quickly becoming the front-runner to succeed the famous Silva.

The Brazilian, who has played for Chelsea for the past four seasons, is expected to return to his former club, Fluminense.