Thiago Silva is once again in the transfer market. The Brazilian is set to become a free agent once his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires in August. Vastly experienced, Silva played a key role in helping the French giants become a dominant force in the Ligue 1.
Carlo Ancelotti has always been a big admirer of the central defender. It was Don Carlo who brought Silva to Europe and later to France. The Italian’s previous experience of working with Silva has seen his name linked with Everton.
But do the Toffees need to sign the 35-year-old defender?
Everton Should Not Look to Sign Thiago Silva
The Brazilian is on the Wrong Side of 30
The Premier League has not always been good to players in their mid-30s. Usually, players would either retire or move to less competitive leagues by that time. Now, Thiago Silva will be 36 when the new season starts in September. The Brazilian would be one of the older citizens in the league and the oldest in the Everton squad.
A Premier League debutant usually takes about half a season or more – Bruno Fernandes is an exception – to get adjusted with the pace and competitiveness of the league. Being on the wrong side of 30, Silva would have to start with the time factor against him. With the Brazilian likely to join the club on a short-term deal, if at all, of course, he will have to adjust quickly to his new surroundings.
Thiago Silva is one of the best defenders of his generation, but, at 36, he will most likely struggle to adapt to the league. Not every veteran player can come and light up the Premier League, like Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
He Has Spent the Last Seven Years in a Less Competitive League
It is no secret that the French league is the least competitive of the top five leagues in Europe. PSG have been the dominant force in French football during the past decade, and Thiago Silva has been at the forefront of the Parisian giants in the last eight years.
Yes, Silva was at the helm when PSG had their European games, but the sheer number of games and level of competition in the Premier League is so different. A prime example is that of Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe. The Ivorian was one of the best players in Ligue 1 last year but had to struggle to adjust to the pace of the Premier League. It’s natural to have doubts about how a player who spent almost a decade in Ligue1 will cope with the English game.
High Wages
The most compelling factor of the Thiago Silva transfer is the involvement of zero transfer fees. It’s not always that you get a high-profile player on a free, but that is where misconceptions end. Thiago Silva is one of the highest-paid footballers in the world. The signing of the Brazilian is unlikely to be cheap.
If Silva does decide to take a considerable salary cut, the Brazilian would still be one of the highest-paid players in the club. Moreover, the defender could command a big chunk of money as signing on fee.
He was, at his prime, one of the best in the world. But, with the amount of money and length of his contract in focus, Everton would be wise to reinvest in younger talents.
Backfiring Transfer Policy
For a long time now, the Toffees have been suffering due to poor decisions taken during the transfer window. The last few seasons have seen them shelling out over £100 million in transfers without getting any desired results. A glance into the transfers in the last few seasons could see Everton following a trend of buying old players for free or a cheap fee.
This transfer policy, though, has backfired heavily. The likes of Wayne Rooney, Samuel Eto’o, Ashley Williams, and the latest Fabian Delph have all yielded the same result – disappointment. All these players arrived at Goodison with big resumes but left the club empty-handed. They had all looked worn-out and a shadow of their prime.
If Everton do go after Silva, it would see the Merseyside club following their tried and failed formula. The transfer is more likely to backfire than to produce the desired result. If it does backfire, Everton will still have a big dent in their wage budget for the coming season.
Thiago Silva is still one of the best in the business, but the Brazilian is far from his own personal best. Everton, with their recent history in failed transfers, should stay away from the Brazilian and use the funds allocated to invest in younger players.
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