Chelsea shocked a few people when confirming their decision to leave Trevoh Chalobah out of the travelling squad for their pre-season tour of America ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.
It’s the beginning of a new era at Stamford Bridge under new head-coach Enzo Maresca following Mauricio Pochettino’s surprise exit after the end of last season. There have already been seven new arrivals this summer – though some have at least half an eye on the future rather than the squad for the coming season – but with the Blues’ recent expenditure comes the need to balance the books.
The easiest way for the club to do that is through the sale of academy graduates, and it seems this summer will be Chalobah’s time to exit the club. While the defender only signed a long-term contract at the club in late 2022, it seems his time in west London is coming to an end.
Despite an impressive second half of the season for the 25-year-old, the club look to have made up their minds with regards to his future. Leaving Chalobah at home while the rest of the squad go on tour sends a clear message – but is it the right one? Our writers give their verdicts below…
Bobby Vincent
Not many people could argue that post-February 17, Trevoh Chalobah was not Chelsea’s best central defender.
In fact, his performances were so good that he featured in all but one of the final 14 Premier League matches of the season. Ten of those were from the start. It was clear Mauricio Pochettino saw him as a dependable option, but the club appear to view matters differently.
The Cobham graduate is once again up for sale despite proving himself in the final months of last season. The club, with the Premier League’s strict Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) see his sale as something that makes business sense given he will account for ‘pure profit’.
Chalobah will not be short of suitors. A hugely talented defender, with age on his side, and he should be available for transfer this summer. Chelsea will not sell cheap but with this latest decision, it seems they definitely want him sold over the next month.
For Chalobah, it is a shame. He is someone that has always been dying to make it at Stamford Bridge. For the most part, he has impressed with his performances, but it does not seem he has a place in the club’s ambitious project.
Joe Doyle
The chickens look to be coming home to roost slightly for Chelsea. The owners’ ambitious plan to revolutionise the club have come at a cost, and sale of Chlobah is the price they have to pay for signing so many young players at high prices in the last two years.
There is a question of how much he would start next season. Levi Colwill looks set to be first-choice as left centre-back, while Axel Disasi, Benoit Badiashile, Wesley Fofana and new signing Tosin Adarabioyo will provide strong competition for places on the right side.
So perhaps Chalobah’s departure is one the Blues can afford. But leaving him at home from the tour surely only lowers his value. Any clubs interested will already have known he was available, but he now appears unwanted. Those interested clubs are surely likely to decrease their bids accordingly, putting the Chelsea decision-makers in a difficult position.
I don’t think it sends a great message to the rest of the team, either. Chalobah’s commitment and professionalism have not been questioned, nor the levels he produced last season; he is merely an asset to be valued and sold – and the rest of the team will have to plan their futures accordingly.
Kieran Horn
Chelsea’s decision to exclude Chalobah from their pre-season tour squad was quite frankly nothing short of disgusting. The 25-year-old was crucial to the Blues’ improvement in form towards the back end of the 2024/25 campaign and regardless of the club’s desire to sell, he could at the very least be shown some respect.
Enzo Maresca’s squad has been left rather depleted due to players’ international exploits and yet there is still no place for Chalobah. And yet the likes of Armando Broja and Andrey Santos are heading overseas despite the fact the latter will be heading out on loan to Strasbourg for the upcoming season.
Broja, meanwhile, has been strongly linked to an exit and the player himself has certainly not minced his words when it comes to expressing his desire for a new challenge. Not only does the decision show a lack of respect to Chalobah, but it also sends out a worrying message to the squad.
Merely at the benefit of the club, regardless of what they may have been told or shown they can do on the pitch, you can become surplus to requirements just like that.
Sam Truelove
Trevoh Chalobah is only 25 years old but already has nearly 200 senior career appearances under his belt. He has spent the past three seasons at Chelsea where he has been in and out of the team, while before that he enjoyed successful loan spells at FC Lorient, Huddersfield and Ipswich. He is a good player and could undoubtedly do a job for a Premier League team but, sadly for the defender, his future appears to be away from Stamford Bridge.
Despite being one of Chelsea’s best defenders at the back end of the 2023/24 season, the club appear intent on selling the Englishman this summer having left him out of their pre-season squad for the tour of the United States. He could fetch a fee of around £25million and would generate pure profit which would give the Blues a financial boost.
Despite some fans’ wishes, a sale seems best for both Chalobah and Chelsea. For the Blues’ sake, let’s just hope this is not a decision they come to regret.
Rob Guest
Trevoh Chalobah is better off away from Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea’s pre-season tour squad decision very much highlighting that point. The academy graduate was in fine form in the second half of last season for the Blues and he was undoubtedly the club’s most consistent defender during that period.
That is why his omission from the Chelsea squad for the visit to the United States has not gone down well at all with many supporters. The regular football he wants in west London may not be there for him but Chelsea are only better for having him as part of their squad given the levels he can produce and what he offers across the backline.
His future is quite clearly away from west London and that is extremely disappointing for a player who has progressed through the club’s system and really impressed in the first team on multiple occasions. What also doesn’t sit right is that some players jetting off on Chelsea’s tour could well be heading for the exit door prior to the new season, with Lesley Ugochukwu, Andrey Santos, Angelo and Armando Broja notable examples.
Chalobah certainly won’t be short on options this summer and whoever he joins will be getting an excellent player.
