Chelsea have agreed a deal to loan Trevoh Chalobah to Crystal Palace, David Ornstein is reporting for the Athletic.
The defender has been frozen out at Stamford Bridge, and despite an excellent 6 months for the club in the back half of last season, he’s seen as surplus to requirements thanks to the glut of average defenders signed up to long contracts by the sporting directors.
He will rejoin his old academy teammate Marc Guehi in the Palace backline, after the Eagles’ captain’s move to Newcastle broke down. That could quickly develop into one of the better partnerships in the league, and Chalobah is an certainly ideal replacement for Joachim Andersen, who left for Fulham earlier this summer.
It’s not a move which will be popular with many Blues fans. Trevoh isn’t just a home grown player who is much loved, he’s also a top class defender who has never let us down in his 80 appearances for the club. He was our best option at the back last year, and there’s little doubt he’d be starting now if it wasn’t for the politics and accountancy which currently dominates our transfer policy.
🚨 EXCL: Crystal Palace reach agreement with Chelsea to sign Trevoh Chalobah. Deal for versatile 25yo defender straight season-long loan – no option or obligation to buy next summer. Transfer includes loan fee from #CPFC to #CFC @TheAthleticFC #DeadlineDay https://t.co/6m4sBLO0Ze
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) August 30, 2024
Terms of the loan explained
Chalobah signed a long term deal at Chelsea in November 2022, so there is no rush to sell him. If he plays as well this season as he did in his appearances last season, he will be worth even more in a year’s time than he is now, and the club can cash in big time.
Ornstein stresses this is a “straight loan” with no obligation or option to buy the 25 year old, although it’s perfectly possible that Palace make us an offer to convert this loan to a permanent move in January and we accept it.
There is a loan fee for this season’s temporary move, although the insider doesn’t specify what it might be.
