Everton may get the opportunity to make a fresh move for Trevoh Chalobah in January as Fabrizio Romano claims the defender is set to leave Chelsea.
TEAMtalk reported on 5 August that Everton were interested in signing Chalobah, as were a number of other clubs in the Premier League and abroad, but the versatile defender ultimately stayed put at Stamford Bridge.
However, in an update posted on his personal Twitter page on Monday (16 October), Romano stated that “Chelsea and Trevoh Chalobah expect to part ways in January”, while adding that the “race is open to other clubs” beyond previous frontrunners Bayern Munich.
It remains to be seen exactly how much Chelsea are hoping to land for Chalobah, but the fact he is under contract at Stamford Bridge for another five-and-a-half years suggests the Blues will not let him leave for cheap.
Everton may well be under the ownership of 777 Partners by then, and while questions have been raised with regards to their funding of the club, the January window could present the American backers with their first opportunity to win over Toffees fans.
If Everton remain in the relegation picture, then a new signing or two will be needed at Goodison Park at the turn of the year. In Chalobah, there is a Premier League-ready player waiting to come in.
The former England U21 international started 18 top-flight games for Chelsea last season and showed real promise, but he is out of the picture under Mauricio Pochettino.
Assuming Everton’s interest in Chalobah was genuine in the summer, there is no reason why a move cannot be revived a couple of months from now.
For all the concerns regarding 777 Partners, this is a transfer that would not only strengthen the squad but also help to win over the doubters.
In other Everton news, a player’s ill-discipline on international duty could prove to be a good thing for the Toffees.
