Well, we certainly have another plot twist in the Olivier Giroud to AC Milan transfer narrative. The Frenchman is staying at Chelsea FC for at least one more season. Ditto for Brazilian central defender Thiago Silva. And in keeping with the contract extension party, manager Thomas Tuchel got a new deal that keeps him at Stamford Bridge until the end of the 2023/24 season.
Yes, Owner Roman Abramovich was in a giving mood and Club Director Marina Granovskaia has been putting in a lot of hours of work lately. The European champions made three announcements today.
Let’s start with Tuchel, whose statement reads:
“I cannot imagine a better occasion for a contract renewal. I am grateful for the experience and very happy to stay part of the Chelsea family.
“There is far more to come and we are looking forward to our next steps with ambition and much anticipation.”
Granovskaia added: “When Thomas joined us in January there was still so much to play for domestically and in Europe. He slotted in seamlessly and immediately became an integral part of the Chelsea family.
“Returning us to the top four in the Premier League was crucial, and we could not be happier with our success in the Champions League which crowned a remarkable season at Chelsea.
“We are obviously extremely pleased therefore to retain Thomas for a further two years, and look forward to more achievements in the coming seasons.”
Tuchel arrived in January, signing an initial 18-month-deal. Moving on to Silva, the 36-year-old is now contracted to the club until the end of 21/22.
“When we brought Thiago Silva in last summer, we knew we were adding a world-class player to the squad,” Granovskaia said. “Thiago has duly shown everyone at Chelsea his immense quality throughout this season, and he has had a huge influence on and off the pitch for us.”
Finally, with Giroud, the club revealed that they had actually exercised his option to extend back in April. The 34-year-old Frenchman was actually their top scorer in the Champions League with six goals, bagging four against Sevilla in the group stage.
This was an astute business move, as now they can get some kind of transfer fee or loan fee for him if/when he does move on.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.