The Nathaniel Chalobah development strategy

Nathaniel Chalobah arguably made the most progress out of all of our loanees last season. He was sent out as a 17-year-old boy and, under the tutelage of Gianfranco Zola, will return as an 18-year-old man.

To see him not just start but star in a team full of foreign talent that took Watford to 3^rd in the Championship was probably beyond any expectation Chelsea had for him. He even forced his way into the under-21 reckoning – starting two of the three group games at the European Championships – having only played just four times previously under Stuart Pearce.

He is the brightest hope to come out of the Chelsea academy for the last decade but the question is, what next for the Sierra Leone-born midfielder?

Phil Neville recently told the Independent he believes Chelsea should give him a chance this season: “I have seen enough of Chalobah this season at Watford to see that he could play 20 games for Chelsea next season [including] the League Cup, the early rounds of the Champions’ League.

“Somebody up above [at Chelsea] should be saying ‘we should be playing Chalobah’.”

Does he have a point? Chalobah could play in the Capital One Cup and may get the opportunity to play in a couple of Champions League games and maybe a few sub appearances in the Premier League. The FA Cup in January will provide Chalobah another chance of first team football before the business end of the season where risks aren’t usually taken.

The 6”1 midfielder has already shown that if he gets the games under his belt, he will blossom. Working under Jose Mourinho will benefit him but if he returned to Chelsea next summer aged just 19, he’ll still have the chance to develop with the Special One’s guidance.

It is important for Chalobah to play games, he is just 18, there’s no rush. With another year of competitive games under his belt, he should come back an even better player. So who should he be sent out on loan to? A return to Watford – who can still get players on loan despite their transfer embargo – would provide him with familiar surroundings and a guaranteed starting role.

A Premier League move would be the best option but only if a club is willing to start him every week. Otherwise we’ll have a situation that we had with both Josh McEachran (Swansea) and Patrick van Aanholt (Wigan). For me, the two options would be Crystal Palace or Fulham. Close to home and the competition in the midfield is probably the weakest in the league.

He’d be competing with Owen Garvan and Kagisho Dikgacoi in Palace’s midfield and Fulham currently look like they’d start with Steve Sidwell and Derek Boateng (both 30).

Out of the two, I think a move to Fulham would be more beneficial. Martin Jol would be a better manager to develop a young player compared to Ian Holloway. Palace will also more likely to be in relegation trouble and to trust an 18-year-old to anchor your midfield if your Premier League safety and job is on the line, would be something most managers would decide against.

It’s important for Chalobah to claim a first team place as early as possible, so as the season progresses he’d be seen as less of a risk to play there.

After a year with Premier League football experience, being coached by a manager like Jol and he’ll come back even better next year. A 19-year-old prospect having made the step up from Championship to the Premier League and ready to work with Mourinho will be exciting for both Chelsea and England.