Como agree £31m deal to sign Chalobah from Chelsea
Italian club Como have reached an agreement with Chelsea to sign defender Trevoh Chalobah in a deal worth more than £30m.
Como have agreed a deal worth more than £30m to bring in Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah. The 27-year-old is expected to put pen to paper on a long-term contract and take on a leadership role under manager Cesc Fabregas, who steered the Serie A side to fourth place and Champions League qualification last season.
Chalobah, an England international, will leave his boyhood club after nearly 20 years, having joined Chelsea as a child. Chelsea will receive an initial £25.7m, with a further £5.1m in potential add-ons following protracted negotiations. That is close to Chelsea's asking price of £30m plus £5m in bonuses, with Inter Milan also having shown interest. Fabregas, a former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder, had been targeting Chalobah for more than six months.
The transfer is part of an effort at Stamford Bridge to trim the squad under new manager Xabi Alonso. The Blues have already signed Maxence Lacroix, 26, from Crystal Palace for £52m, adding experience and height to their defence. However, they still have nine senior centre-backs on the books, including Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Josh Acheampong, Benoit Badiashile, Aaron Anselmino, Axel Disasi and Mamadou Sarr. Chelsea are keen to offload Disasi and Badiashile, while Sarr or Acheampong could be loaned out, potentially to another Premier League club.
