Thiago Silva to Return to Brazilian Club Fluminense after Leaving Chelsea at End of the Season

Football - Premier League - Chelsea v West Ham United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 5, 2024 Chelsea's Thiago Silva after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Chelsea v West Ham United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 5, 2024 Chelsea's Thiago Silva after the match. (Reuters)
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Thiago Silva to Return to Brazilian Club Fluminense after Leaving Chelsea at End of the Season

Football - Premier League - Chelsea v West Ham United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 5, 2024 Chelsea's Thiago Silva after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Chelsea v West Ham United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 5, 2024 Chelsea's Thiago Silva after the match. (Reuters)

Veteran defender Thiago Silva will return to Brazilian club Fluminense after leaving Chelsea at the end of the season.

The 39-year-old Silva said last week he was not extending his contract with Chelsea and Fluminense announced Tuesday that the center back is joining on a free transfer.

The defending Copa Libertadores champion posted a picture of Silva wearing a Fluminense shirt on social media with the text: “The monster is back.”

Silva played for Fluminense between 2006 and 2008. He left for AC Milan in 2009, and three years later joined Paris Saint-German. The Brazilian joined Chelsea in 2020 and won the Champions League the following year.

The defender was in Brazil’s squad for the last four World Cups. He also won the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2019 Copa América with the national team.

Silva is expected to join Fluminense once Brazil’s transfer window reopens in July.



Forest's Awoniyi in Induced Coma after Surgery

Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Leicester City - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - May 11, 2025 Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi reacts after sustaining an injury. Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Leicester City - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - May 11, 2025 Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi reacts after sustaining an injury. Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
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Forest's Awoniyi in Induced Coma after Surgery

Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Leicester City - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - May 11, 2025 Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi reacts after sustaining an injury. Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers
Soccer Football - Premier League - Nottingham Forest v Leicester City - The City Ground, Nottingham, Britain - May 11, 2025 Nottingham Forest's Taiwo Awoniyi reacts after sustaining an injury. Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is in an induced coma after undergoing surgery on a serious abdominal injury, according to British media reports.

The Nigeria international, 27, collided with the goalpost in the 88th minute of Sunday's 2-2 Premier League draw with Leicester City at the City Ground, attempting to connect with a cross from Anthony Elanga.

Awoniyi, who joined Forest from Union Berlin in June 2022, came on as a late substitute for Ibrahim Sangare and spent only five minutes on the pitch before the incident.

He received immediate treatment on the field and then rejoined the game but was limping for the last 10 minutes of the match.

The BBC was among British media outlets that reported late on Tuesday that Awoniyi had been placed in an induced coma after having the first phase of surgery.

In a statement earlier on Tuesday, Forest said Awoniyi had undergone surgery and was "recovering well".

"Nottingham Forest can confirm that Taiwo Awoniyi is recovering well so far following urgent surgery on a serious abdominal injury sustained during Sunday’s match against Leicester City," the club said.

Reuters has contacted Forest for comment.

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis came onto the pitch after the Leicester game and appeared to remonstrate with manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

Espirito Santo said that the incident was due to Marinakis's frustration over Awoniyi not being substituted. The Forest manager added that the Nigeria international was left on due to a misunderstanding between the coaching and medical departments.

Forest on Tuesday dismissed reports as "fake news" that Marinakis was involved in a confrontation with the manager.