Thiago Silva has confirmed he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season but revealed his intention to one day return to the club in "another role."
The 39-year-old's contract was due to expire this summer and he has been linked with a return to his native Brazil, with Fluminense among the interested clubs, as well as a move to Major League Soccer or AC Milan in Serie A.
Silva joined Chelsea on a free transfer in August 2020 and has made 151 appearances to date, winning the Champions League, the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.
In an emotional message posted on the club's social media, Silva said on Monday: "Chelsea means a lot to me, I came here with the intention of staying for only one year and it ended up being four years, not just for me but for my family too.
"My sons play for Chelsea so it is a source of great pride to be a part of the Chelsea family literally because my sons are here. I hope they can continue their careers here at this victorious club that many players wish to be a part of. I think everything I did here over the four years, I always gave my all but unfortunately everything has a start, a middle and an end.
"That doesn't mean that this is a definitive end. I hope to leave the door open so that in the near future I can return albeit in another role here. But it is an indescribable love. I can only say thank you."
Silva went on to reflect on his time at the club, which began under Frank Lampard before he was replaced by Thomas Tuchel in January 2021. Graham Potter succeeded Tuchel as head coach in September 2022 but only lasted seven months before Lampard returned in an interim capacity prior to Mauricio Pochettino's appointment last summer.
"Obviously when I started here it was during the pandemic so there weren't any fans in the stadium but through social media it became something very special to me and then when fans started coming back to the stadium and life was getting back to normal, I started to feel a lot of affection and respect for my story and for my start here," Silva said.
"So it is already hard saying goodbye in the most normal of circumstances but when there is a mutual love, it is even harder. But once a Blue, always a Blue.
"The way in which I came into the club, with the support of the club I got to the club as a leader of the club even though I didn't feel like it having arrived as the new guy. It's always difficult to integrate but bit by bit I became part of the group and Frank Lampard played a big part in that. So I am grateful to him for that.
"Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could achieve such great things and win one of the best professional titles, the Champions League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"Goodbyes are for those that leave and don't come back. I intend on coming back one day."
Silva is battling a groin injury with scan results set to determine whether he will be available to play in any of the club's final five Premier League games before his departure.