Chelsea fans will love Trevoh Chalobah admission after brutal Enzo Maresca decision

Trevoh Chalobah once thought it was over for him at Stamford Bridge, but the Chelsea defender has been a staple in Enzo Maresca’s plans since January.

Chalobah was sent on a season-long loan to Crystal Palace last August after being told he was not part of the plans at the Blues. However, the 26-year-old was recalled on January 15 due to an injury crisis at centre-back for Maresca.

Since then, the Chelsea academy graduate has not looked back. Chalobah has featured in 37 of the Blues’ 48 matches in all competitions since being called back. This season, Chalobah has started nine of Chelsea’s 10 Premier League fixtures, with the only one he missed due to suspension following his red card against Brighton in September.

• Chelsea dealt injury scare before Champions League clash
• Enzo Maresca provides Pedro Neto and Cole Palmer Chelsea injury update

At one point, Chalobah, who has been on Chelsea’s books since Under-9s level, thought it was all over for him at Stamford Bridge, but has now established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet.

Reflecting on a rollercoaster last 12 months, Chalobah never felt as if he needed to prove anything to Maresca. “In life you have two choices: let it affect you or take what’s in front of you,” Chalobah explained. “I went on loan, kept my head down. I always knew I wanted to stay [at Chelsea] but some things were out of your control.

“I just kept working on my game and managed to bring myself back. I kept fighting and working every day, and that’s what I have to do.”

Chalobah added: “For me, I didn’t feel I needed to prove anything. I had been at Chelsea, played already two seasons before that and showed my level.

“I know that he [Maresca] and the club have seen my level. It was nothing to do with proving, it was just to come back and show my quality and help the team.”

During the summer of 2024, in Maresca’s first months as Chelsea head coach, Chalobah was spending his time in Cobham training with the Under-21s, but the defender, who made his senior England debut in June, always tries to take the positives out of any situation.

“At that time, obviously, I was told I wasn’t going to be part of the plans,” reflected Chalobah. “But you can’t dwell on things and sulk. I took it in a positive way and went back and got my games at Palace.

“Then I got called back and tried to show my level and my qualities again and help the team to do a successful season. Hopefully this season, we can do it again.”

Chalobah is set to be part of the travelling Chelsea’s squad for their 5000-mile round trip to Baku, Azerbaijan, as the Blues take on Qarabag in their fourth Champions League fixture.