Newcastle should be relieved that they didn't end up signing Thiago Silva in the summer.

What was the story?

Following confirmation that he would be leaving PSG at the end of his contract, 90min suggested that a number of Premier League clubs were interested in signing him on a free transfer.

Along with Newcastle, it was claimed the likes of Arsenal, Everton, Wolves and West Ham were all looking into the prospect of making a contract offer for the veteran Brazilian.

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But, it was fellow Premier League side Chelsea who swooped in at the last moment to sign him before the end of the deadline.

Expensive disaster for Steve Bruce

Despite his abundance of top-level experience with PSG, it just wouldn't have made sense for Newcastle to snap up Silva on a free.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed that Chelsea signed the centre-back on a two-year deal worth €6m a season, which amounts to £105k-a-week.

For someone who just turned 36 in September, that is a ridiculous sum of money, and there would have been a serious question mark on whether he was looking for his final pay-cheque.

And following his outspoken comments on how he had been treated by PSG, French pundit Daniele Rioli tore into him, saying: "We just realise that like Cavani, Thiago Silva especially had a very misplaced pride: 'Oh no, the proposal had to be made to me before, now it's too late, blah blah blah…'

"Yet he had agreed for a long time with Chelsea. He's like, 'I'm crying, I'm hurt'. It is always the blow of heightened emotion. Thiago Silva is unbearable!"

And on the pitch, he's already had some nightmare moments in a Blues shirt, with his horror showing against West Brom in which he played a major part in gifting the Baggies a goal, seeing him come under criticism from former Chelsea man Alan Hudson.

He said: "This is a player expected to bring some solidity to a poor looking back line and what a beginning, horrendous. He’s been outstanding, but here he looked like he had never played the game before."

Steve Bruce made the right call in not following up on their interest in the defender.