Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
On Wednesday night, Trevoh Chalobah made his debut for Cesc Fabregas’ Como after completing a £30m move to the Serie A side from Chelsea. Typically, it came against Arsenal at The Emirates.
Chalobah was the first of what is expected to be multiple centre-back casualties at Chelsea between now and the summer deadline. Xabi Alonso has openly said he only wants four or five options at centre-back.
With Maxence Lacroix, Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Josh Acheampong the likely contenders to remain at Chelsea, others need to make way. They include Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi and Mamadou Sarr.
Chalobah has already left, completing a £30m move to Como. On Wednesday night, he came off the bench with 20 minutes to go as Como drew 1-1 with Arsenal, before losing on penalties to the Gunners.
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Arsenal fans boo Chalobah with every touch during Como debut
Former Chelsea midfielder Fabregas made his first return to Arsenal as a manager, as the two sides played out a 1-1 draw. Myles Lewis-Skelly, amid the links with Chelsea, opened the scoring for the Gunners.
He celebrated by pointing towards the badge on his chest, with reports claiming Lewis-Skelly wants to stay and fight for his place at Arsenal. Soon after, Martin Baturina equalised for Como in superb fashion.
Arsenal FC v Como Calcio - Pre-Season Friendly
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On 69 minutes, Fabregas introduced Chalobah, and merely due to his Chelsea past, the defender was booed as he came on and every subsequent touch after that. Arsenal boast many former Chelsea players.
One of those former Chelsea players, Noni Madueke, missed his penalty in the shootout. Luckily for the ex-Chelsea winger, Como missed two of their five spot-kicks, and Arsenal secured a win via the shootout.
Chalobah takes Chelsea’s income from player sales to £150m
It is a shame to see Chalobah leave Chelsea after 18 years at the club, initially as an academy product and then at times, even captaining the Blues. Chalobah clocked up 151 appearances for Chelsea, scoring eight.
Chalobah is not the first example of BlueCo cashing in on the pure profit of selling an academy product. Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount and plenty more have gone before Chalobah in the transfer market.
Enzo Fernandez and Enzo Maresca hugging graphic
Photo by Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
But with more than £350m spent on 11 major arrivals this summer, Chelsea need to sell players without the financial injection of European football. So far, Chelsea have raised just over £150m from player sales.
Marc Cucurella and Andrey Santos equate to around £100m; Tyrique George joins Everton for an initial £18m rising to £24m. Jimmy-Jay Morgan is a £4m West Brom signing, and now Chalobah, at about £30m.
Just over £150m; there is plenty left for Chelsea to do. But Chalobah is the first centre-back to go, with four or five expected to follow him before the end of the summer window.