Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah is determined to stay and fight for his place under new boss Mauricio Pochettino, despite the club having received a £25m offer for the Englishman from Inter Milan.
The Blues are set for a firesale this summer, with all of Mateo Kovacic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech and Edouard Mendy expected to leave before the new season.
There are question marks over the defence too, with Levi Colwill returning from a successful loan spell from Brighton and set to vie for a spot in Mauricio Pochettino’s first XI.
However he will face competition, with Benoit Badiashile, Kalidou Koulibaly, Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella and Cesar Azpilicueta all having played in the centre of defence last season.
Also thrown into the mix is Chalobah, who has been a bit part player since Todd Boehly became owner of the club. The 23-year-old started 18 Premier League games, but couldn’t really nail down a spot in the first XI, being asked to fill in across the defence and in midfield.
Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah during the UEFA Champions League Group E match at Stamford Bridge, London. Picture date: Wednesday October 5, 2022. 2K53N54 Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah during the UEFA Champions League Group E match at Stamford Bridge, London. Picture date: Wednesday October 5, 2022. (Alamy Stock Photo)
It was therefore assumed that he would move on this summer, with Chelsea under some pressure to sell in order to conform to financial fair play rules. Though there has been no shortage of interest, however, Chalobah ‘wants to stay and fight for his Chelsea place under incoming head coach Mauricio Pochettino’ according to the Athletic, despite Inter Milan having already tabled a £25m bid for his services.
Should he opt to move, he is likely to have no shortage of suitors across the Premier League and Europe, and could follow in the footsteps of fellow academy star Fikayo Tomori in being a player that the Blues may come to regret letting go on the cheap.