Chelsea star Thiago Silva has begun preparing for a managerial career by starting his coaching badges.

The Brazilian centre-back, 36, penned a one-year deal at Stamford Bridge after leaving Paris Saint-Germain for free in the summer.

Globo Esporte, via The Sun, reports the veteran defender began a Brazilian football confederation (CBF) coaching course as part of his B Licence. Silva was joined by former Blue Filipe Luis and ex-Spurs star Paulinho in beginning the transition during the pandemic.

Reportedly Luis, 35, is the keenest future boss out of the trio of Brazilian internationals. Due to social distancing guidelines, all of Silva’s coaching classes were held online.

This helped all three players – Paulinho at Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande and Luis in Brazil with Flamengo – balance their busy schedules with the program.

In order to graduate from the course, face-to-face sessions and assessments will have to take place when the pandemic allows.

Blues forward Olivier Giroud has revealed the key to winning a header.

Speaking on the Chelsea website, he said: “The most important thing as a striker is to get in front of the defender and attack the ball between the first post and the penalty spot. That’s your job.

“It’s not going to be the winger on the other side or the number eight on the other side who will do it.

“Most of the time the other number eight on the side of the crosser in involved in the build-up.”

Roman Abramovich could have bought Arsenal instead of Chelsea over 16 years ago — but he was mistakenly warned off the Gunners by ignorant Swiss bankers.

And the billionaire Russian oligarch tried several times unsuccessfully to lure Gunners talisman Thierry Henry to Stamford Bridge when the Frenchman was in his pomp.

The stunning revelations have been made in book, The Club, penned by two Wall Street Journal writers. They spoke at length with executives from leading Premier League clubs.

The book claims in 2003, Abramovich hired Swiss bank UBS to examine the economics of English top-flight football.

One of its findings was that ‘Arsenal were categorically not for sale’.

Abramovich instead took over Chelsea for £140m and went on to win five Prem titles and a Champions League.

Edinson Cavani has revealed the two clubs he REJECTED before joining United.

The forward rejected moves to Inter Milan and Juventus because of his respect for former club Napoli.

Speaking to Mondo Napoli, he said: “It is for this reason that I said no to many Italian clubs including Juventus, who called me often, and also Inter.

“I couldn’t make such a gesture to the Neapolitans.”

Reports in England claim that Manchester United bosses are on a mission to unearth more homegrown talent.

And they want to pinch promising kids right from under the noses of their southern rivals Chelsea and Arsenal.

Iconic star David Beckham began his career playing football as a kid for Ridgeway Rovers in Chingford, London.

And now the club is looking for a scout to operate down south to find more footballing gems.

The club have placed an advertisement on its website looking for an expert to find players aged 12-18 they can sign for the academy side.

And the role also includes occasional international travel to watch exciting new prospects overseas.

Former Mnchester City star Robinho has seen his nine-year prison sentence for gang rape confirmed by an Italian court.

The incident occurred in a Milan nightclub on January 22, 2013, when the victim was 22 years old.

Both Robinho and his friend Ricardo Falco, according to Football Italia, were found guilty and handed nine-year sentences, which were confirmed in the first level of appeal in Milan.

The initial sentence was confirmed in its entirety by the appeals court, along with a €60,000 compensation package from each man to the victim.

There were six men involved in total, but four of them are still unidentified or unable to be recognised in the Italian court.

The Italian justice system has four levels of appeal, so Robinho is not yet forced to go into prison.