Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah looks set to depart the club when the January transfer window opens. The versatile centre-back is already considering his options after a deadline-day move to Bayern Munich collapsed.
But Bayern could yet return to the table as Thomas Tuchel is keen on a reunion with the 24-year-old, who can play in multiple positions and systems.
Chalobah recently endured a fresh injury setback and is yet to feature for the Blues this season.
The former Ipswich, Huddersfield and Lorient loanee had been keen to leave Chelsea earlier this summer but a transfer failed to materialise despite interest from several clubs.
Spurs also looked into a deal while Nottingham Forest failed with a late £25million approach.
Mauricio Pochettino has now been handed a free rein over transfers and he is expected to sanction Chalobah’s departure this winter so he can potentially reinvest some cash into his backline.
Axel Disasi has flattered to deceive since arriving from Monaco despite netting on his Premier League debut against Liverpool.
Although he has been a mainstay in Pochettino’s starting XI – some supporters have been disgruntled by the fact Disasi has effectively replaced academy product Chalobah, although he has been sidelined through injury.
Speaking in mid-September, Pochettino appeared to indicate that Chelsea only received offers for Chalobah because he was angling for a move.
“What I can tell you is there are two parts,” Pochettino explained last month.
“If an offer appears, it is because another part of the club accepted it to move or they were trying to find a solution or the player wanted to leave. You cannot only blame the club, if an offer appears for Jesus [Perez, my assistant], it is because Jesus was open to receiving the offer, no? Come on, we need to also be clever. Did you receive an offer, Jesus [laughs]?!
“No, but it is always easy to blame the club and blame the club. In the same way, maybe the player was thinking in pre-season or before the season to move in one direction. If after that didn’t happen, then I am fair with the player. I will give them a chance to perform and play here.
“Maybe the player decides to stay after but that’s the business. That is not ‘oh the club accepted the offer’ or ‘the player wanted to move’.
“Come on, it is a business that we know very well. The players that are here if they deserve will have the opportunities to play but they need to be better than the others in their position.”
Chelsea are yet to entice Ian Maatsen into a new contract despite triggering a one-year extension clause in his current deal.
The Dutchman is attracting a long list of admirers and the Blues will push Maatsen for a decision on his future – as he is another player that could be sold.
Burnley struck a £31.5m deadline-day deal with Chelsea for the Dutchman but he decided he wanted to remain at Stamford Bridge.
West Ham remain interested and the Blues could entertain offers in 2024. Much like Chalobah – any fee Chelsea would receive for Maatsen would represent total profit against FFP as he came through the academy ranks at Cobham.
