Chelsea to offer Chalobah to sign €35m Brazilian star
Following up on yesterday’s shocking revelation on Chelsea’s interest in Nottingham Forest’s elegant defender Murillo, Jacob Steinberg of The Guardian has reported this afternoon that the Blues will attempt to use Trevoh Chalobah as part of their bid to recruit the Brazilian.
It is all quite strange. Tosin Adarabioyo, a free agent, was previously signed by the Blues this summer to take Thiago Silva’s place. Wesley Fofana will also return from injury to the lineup, joining Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile, Levi Colwill, and Axel Disasi as alternatives for central defenders.
There doesn’t seem to be a need for another player there at all, especially considering that he will probably command a high price even with Chalobah partially balancing it. His transfermarkt value is €35 million, and we reckon they’d demand a lot more.
Steinberg claims that Manchester United are also interest in buying Chalobah, and also that the defender is only interested in joining a club playing in Europe – potentially scuppering a Forest move.
A curious determination to sell a good player
You can probably already guess what we’re going to say here – it’s been the same for a while now. Yes Murillo looks like a great player, but honestly, what is our club’s aversion to just keeping Chalobah? He’s home grown and proven quality. He was our best defender once he returned from injury last year.
Is it just FFP / PSR concerns which are making us so desperate to sell him? The plan seems to have been to shift him from the moment the new co-sporting directors arrived, and hasn’t shifted since despite his quality performances.
Why trade something you know to be good for something which only has the potential to be better? There are plenty of other players on the books with high ceilings, why give up one with a high floor for another punt on potential?