THIAGO SILVA is the Premier League’s second-best centre-back after Virgil van Dijk.
That’s in response to Joe Cole, who has hailed the veteran Chelsea star as a ‘Rolls Royce’ of a participant.
Joe Cole reckons Thiago Silva is the very best centre-back in England bar Virgil van DijkCredit score: AFP or licensors
Silva, 36, made a shock free switch to Stamford Bridge after leaving Paris Saint-Germain in August.
Regardless of a shaky begin, the Brazilian has since settled and turned one of many league’s worst defences into among the best.
Silva was on high type once more as Chelsea sealed their place within the Champions League knockout spherical with a 2-1 win at Rennes.
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And former Blue Cole reckons Frank Lampard lastly has an elite centre-back in his XI, with Liverpool’s Van Dijk the one one in England’s high flight who is best.
Cole advised BT Sport: “He has been one of many nice defenders of our era, however at 36 you are worried.
“Historically gamers at that age coming into the Premier League, it is rather troublesome. The Premier League is a special beast now.
“He was not match initially of the season and Frank didn’t need to throw him in.
“He wanted time to get into it and now he appears to be like like a Rolls Royce and among the best centre-halves within the league.
“I don’t assume they make centre-halves like him anymore. Other than Van Dijk, I’d say he’s the very best within the League. He has introduced a lot high quality, on the pitch and off the pitch.
“For [Antonio] Rudiger, [Kurt] Zouma and [Andreas] Christensen subsequent to him, he’s an ordinary bearer.
“That’s the stage you need to get at if you wish to class your self as a world-class centre-half.”
