Thiago Silva has revealed just how much Brazil miss star winger Neymar despite Tite's side qualifying for the World Cup knockout stages. The Paris Saint-Germain star suffered an injury against Serbia after being kicked off the park in their opening matchday 2-0 win.
Brazil coped without their talisman but did labour during the first half. Manchester United midfielder Casemiro sealed their path into the last-16 with a stunning second half volley though.
Neymar isn't expected to play again in their remaining group against Cameroon, especially not now that his side are already through with a game to go. That hasn't stopped Chelsea's Silva from highlighting the importance of the winger, however.
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Speaking after the 1-0 win over Switzerland, Silva said: “We felt the absence of Neymar today. Even as a strong collective, he will be missed by the entire team . . . He is an indispensable player on the team.”
Neymar has previously been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge but no longer looks likely to ever play for the Blues after signing a contract extension until 2025 last summer. SW6 was one of his possible destinations after leaving Santos but Barcelona snapped him up in a major move.
Since then, Neymar has gone on to become one of the most feared attackers in world football. He and Silva were teammates in Paris before the 38-year-old defender moved to London in 2020. With Graham Potter currently looking for new attacking options, Neymar's name is one that often crops up in discussions, especially with PSG always looking for ways of adding to their attack.
At 30 years old, Neymar would still prove excitement to Chelsea's attack, but whether he is the right fit for Potter's system is more debatable. Kylian Mbappe, who currently partners Neymar in attack for the Ligue 1 club, is another player that the Blues would be immensely interested in buying should the opportunity come up.
With a complex situation approaching after the World Cup for him, Chelsea may be more likely to bring in the 23-year-old, but at this stage nothing is close. That being said, if Silva is a fan then it may be a good pointer for the Blues, as the veteran defender tends to be reliable when it comes to his footballing judgement.
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