Chelsea boss Pochettino hails Thiago Silva's 'amazing career' ahead of Tottenham test

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino paid tribute to the "amazing career" of veteran defender Thiago Silva ahead of their London derby against rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night.

Silva, 39, has announced he will leave Stamford Bridge when his contract expires in the summer. The centre-back has played more than 800 games – including 151 for the Blues – in an illustrious career that has seen him collect silverware in his native Brazil with Fluminense, in Italy with AC Milan, in France with Paris Saint-Germain and latterly in England with Chelsea, including the Champions League in 2021.

"He is an amazing guy and an amazing professional," said Pochettino, whose side sit ninth in the table, five points outside the European places with a game in hand.

"We are not going to discover the type of player [again] that at nearly 40 years old is still playing like him, an amazing career.

"The players, the fans, the club is going to miss him. He is happy, he is so proud of his career here at Chelsea and other clubs. I only wish the best because he deserves the best."

Thursday's game sees Chelsea's Argentine coach go up against former club Spurs, where he remains a popular figure having led the team for five years between 2014 and 2019. His first clash against them – in the reverse fixture at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November – ended in a 4-1 victory for his new club, with Nicolas Jackson scoring a hat-trick and Cole Palmer converting a penalty.

"It was special when we played there [in November]. It was my first time since leaving the club, but now it is a different time," Pochettino added.

"It will be emotional coming up against people who I worked with for a long period. I can't hide my emotion for the club. I think it