Trevoh Chalobah has revealed he was still not sure on his place in the Chelsea squad at the start of the season.
A product of the club’s academy, the defender spent last season on loan with Lorient in the French Ligue 1, only making his senior Chelsea debut during the penalty shootout win over Villarreal in Belfast before the campaign truly got underway.
After impressing in Belfast, the 22-year-old was handed his first start by Thomas Tuchel when Crystal Palace came to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League season opener, a game in which he scored from range.
Even despite competing for places with the likes of Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Thiago Silva, Chalobah has started 14 times in the League alone and was rewarded with a new contract back in November.
Speaking to the club’s official website, the defender revealed Tuchel only told him it was better to stay at Stamford Bridge after his Premier League debut.
“The manager spoke to me after the Crystal Palace game and said it would be better for me to stay here rather than go out on loan, to learn from Thiago Silva, Rudiger and all the other players around me,” he said.
Amid doubts over the long-term futures of both Rudiger and Christensen given both of their contracts are set to expire in the summer, Chalobah looks set for a starting role in the years to come.
