Trevoh Chalobah is set to stay at Chelsea this season after being told he is part of Thomas Tuchel’s first-team plans, reports say.
The England U21 star has been at Stamford Bridge since the age of eight but he feared he would never break into the first team after spending the last three seasons out on loan.
Earlier in the month, Chalobah was being tipped for a fourth successive loan move, with Spanish club Valencia interested in securing his services.
But the 22-year-old impressed in Chelsea’s UEFA Super Cup victory over Villarreal and started and scored in the club’s opening Premier League fixture against Crystal Palace.
The Athletic say Tuchel has been so impressed by Chalobah that he spoke to the defender at Cobham on Thursday to tell him he will be a key member of his first-team squad this season.
Speaking after Chelsea’s 3-0 win over London rivals Palace, Tuchel hinted he was happy to keep Chalobah at the club for the 2021-22 campaign.
‘Of course, we’re looking for the best in the world, for example when we buy Romelu Lukaku,’ German boss Tuchel said.
‘Of course, we look for the best talents in the world when we buy Kai Havertz, and they are fantastic players from abroad.
‘We have some of the best players in the world in our squad and still there are places for guys from the academy.
‘In the end he [Chalobah] plays alongside Reece James and Mason Mount, this is how it has to be. I love it, the spectators love it.
‘This is how it should be that we have a good mix and they still have a place to fight their way through.
‘This is what Chelsea academy stands for, for top quality. And we will never stop pushing.’
Chalobah was overcome with emotion after scoring his first goal for Chelsea and said after the game: ‘When I scored, I didn’t know what to do.
‘I dropped to my knees. I was crying. I couldn’t believe when the ball went in. I didn’t know it went in until the crowd cheered. It was a surreal moment.’
Former England defender Matt Upson added to the BBC: ‘It almost looked like a scared reaction, like one of horror. It was fantastic, it was real.
‘His team-mates picked him off the floor like something disastrous had happened. No Trevoh, you’ve scored a goal. He was overcome with emotion.’
For more stories like this, check our sport page
Follow Metro Sport across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
0 Commentaires