Ian Wright sees shades of Virgil van Dijk in Trevoh Chalobah following a stunning Chelsea breakthrough for the reported Crystal Palace and West Brom target, speaking on the Wrighty’s House Podcast.
Well, we say the West Brom and Crystal Palace target.
It seems any hopes the Eagles or Baggies may have had of luring Chalobah from Chelsea died a death as soon as the 22-year-old made the right-sided centre-back position his own during pre-season (Express & Star and L’Equipe).
In what was a major show of faith, Thomas Tuchel handed the former Huddersfield Town loanee his Chelsea debut during the UEFA Super Cup final with Villarreal last week too.
And he was rewarded with a performance full of confidence, maturity and poise from a man who, don’t forget, is more comfortable in a midfield role.
Chalobah continued his unexpected emergence with a brilliant long-range goal in Saturday’s 3-0 thrashing of Wright’s former club Crystal Palace.
The Premier League legend said: “Watching him against Arsenal (in pre-season) I was thinking: ‘Wow, he looks good.’ I watched him against Villarreal and I thought: ‘My god, he’s really good.’
“You know who he reminded me of, not the same player, not the same stature, but Virgil van Dijk when he played for Celtic. People said he was taking liberties just because he was good and not in the same standard (as the other players).
“I watched him play (on loan) for Ipswich a couple of times, where you think: ‘I’d like to see him against better quality.’”
Crystal Palace and West Brom unlikely to loan Chelsea star Chalobah
It now seems unlikely Chelsea would consider letting Chalobah go – on loan or otherwise – especially with Jules Kounde set for one last season in Seville.
Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui insisted after Sunday’s 3-0 thrashing of Rayo Vallecano there was nothing to suggest Kounde would be sold before the 31 August transfer deadline.
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