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Chelsea have blocked a loan move for defender Trevoh Chalobah despite previously entering into talks with AC Milan, Inter Milan, and RB Leipzig, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The English centre-back was linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge after news emerged that Wesley Fofana would leave Leicester City to join the Blues. Chelsea are close to announcing the Frenchman's arrival for a fee of £75 million.
Despite his imminent arrival, manager Thomas Tuchel and club owner Todd Boehly have decided to block a loan move for Chalobah.
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Chalobah was handed his first start in the Premier League this season in the Blues' 2-1 win against the Foxes on Saturday (August 27). This was just his fourth league appearance for Chelsea since April this year.
Tuchel signed Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli earlier this summer and the Senegal international has slotted straight into his starting XI this season. However, Tuchel decided to play right-back Reece James as a right-sided center-half in his team's last two league games before the win against Leicester.
Chalobah was an unused substitute in all of his team's matches this season before gameweek 4. Playing the full 90 minutes in his team's win against Leicester might signal a change in role for the young English defender. He will hope to feature in some capacity when his team travel to St. Mary's to take on Southampton on Tuesday, August 30.
Chelsea's options in the center-back position this season
Fofana's imminent arrival from Leicester would bolster Tuchel's backline by a considerable amount. The 21-year-old is yet to reach his peak years and could lead the Blues' backline for the foreseeable future.
As of now, the German manager has Koulibaly, Chalobah, and Thiago Silva as natural centre-backs. Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta, primarily a right-back, has played as a centre-back for the Blues in recent years.
21-year-old Ethan Ampadu, meanwhile, has been linked with a loan move to Middlesbrough this summer, as per Football Insider. Keeping all of the aforementioned points in mind, it maybe a wise call from the Blues to keep Chalobah in their team for this season.
