Chelsea have named Isago Silva, son of club legend Thiago, in their 2025-26 first-year scholars list, a promising sign for the next generation coming through at Cobham.
Chelsea have announced their intake of first-year scholars for the 2025-26 season, and the spotlight is firmly on Isago Silva, the teenage son of legendary Brazilian defender Thiago Silva. The 16-year-old is one of 16 promising players who have officially committed to the club’s academy pathway, with hopes of eventually following in the footsteps of stars like Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, and Levi Colwill.
Isago, a versatile left-footed defender who can play at either centre-back or left-back, has quietly impressed since joining Chelsea’s academy at Under-13 level, arriving shortly after Thiago Silva signed from PSG in 2020. This season, he made his Under-18 debut in a 3-1 win over Leicester, hinting at his growing potential.
With his father now back in Brazil after a remarkable Chelsea stint, Isago will be looking to carve his own path at Stamford Bridge, and the academy coaches reportedly see him as a calm, composed player with strong positional intelligence, traits reminiscent of his father.
Alongside Silva, another name turning heads is Reggie Walsh, a technically gifted attacking midfielder tipped for a breakthrough season at youth level. The full list includes 16 players, covering a mix of goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders and attackers, all of whom have signed scholarship deals and will train at Cobham full-time.
This intake underscores Chelsea’s commitment to youth development, even amid the club’s aggressive spending under the Todd Boehly-led ownership group.
While Chelsea have spent over £1 billion on senior signings since 2022, the club’s long-term strategy still leans heavily on producing homegrown talent. Enzo Maresca, known for his work with youth players during his time at Manchester City, has already begun involving academy prospects in first-team training sessions.
The pathway is clearer than ever. The likes of Tyrique George and Josh Acheampong are now knocking on the first-team door, while Levi Colwill and Trevoh Chalobah have become role models for the next wave.
- Isago’s younger brother, Iago Silva, is also currently enrolled in Chelsea’s youth setup.
- Chelsea’s academy has produced seven full England internationals in the past decade.
- Thiago Silva, now back at Fluminense, made over 150 appearances for Chelsea and was named the club’s Player of the Year in 2022-23.
The first-year scholars will now compete across domestic and international youth tournaments while being closely monitored by both academy staff and the first-team coaching team. With Maresca’s tactical flexibility and focus on ball-playing defenders, players like Isago Silva are well-positioned to thrive.
Whether or not Isago eventually replicates his father’s elite-level success remains to be seen — but at Chelsea, the door is always open for the best and brightest to step through.
