Trevoh Chalobah has made a mockery of the sporting directors, and they have jeopardised Chelsea’s Champions League hopes

One trivela pass and one perfect sliding tackle, and Trevoh Chalobah was into his player of the match work on Monday night.

If you had spent the last six months in a coma, you’d have been forgiven for simply thinking the Englishman had kicked on at Chelsea from his impressive ending to the 2023/24 season.

In fact, Chalobah was in his first week back at the club after spending the summer jettisoned from the first-team squad – eventually ending up at Crystal Palace on loan – by the higher-ups as they scrambled to balance the books.

His treatment symbolises the mess Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart are creating at the club’s expense.

Trevoh Chalobah answered a call many other players wouldn’t

Being banned from going on the USA pre-season tour and the club’s first-team facilities, joining another club on loan and seeing your shirt number taken away isn’t your average summer.

It was Chalobah’s summer though and treatment that was totally underserving after his service to the club and finish to the season. The last couple of weeks have only made it look worse too.

A couple of injuries to defensive figures was followed by briefs that Chalobah couldn’t be recalled before sheepishly asking him to return. Then the final nail in the coffin came with confirmation that his exit was driven by financial reasons and not footballing ones. But such has been Chalobah’s time at the club; he was ready to serve the place he has called home since he was eight.

Against Wolves, he registered more interceptions, more clearances and successful aerial duel battles than any other Chelsea player on the night. He was also the most successful passer out of those to play more than 45 minutes. A display that received plaudits from all corners and dispelled the myths that he didn’t suit Enzo Maresca’s system.

Trevoh Chalobah man of the match on his return 👏🏻

Brilliant performance had his name sung all night, how we ever treated him like we did is outrageous.

One of our own 💙 pic.twitter.com/yzRbCt1qhu

— Charlie Patrick (@charliepatrick0) January 20, 2025

You’d expect a start at the Etihad against Manchester City will follow, where Chalobah made his return from injury last season, and until one of Levi Colwill or Wesley Fofana returns, he is set to form an integral part of the Blues backline.

Enjoy his time in a Chelsea shirt whilst you can because you wouldn’t bet against a repeat of the 2024 summer in 2025 – after all, there is a growing track record.

The majority of Chelsea’s summer signings have been rendered useless already

For an ownership group who have made it well-known they want to be better run off the field than the Roman Abramovich era, why are three of their summer signings on the market in January?

There have been countless changes at both board and recruitment level, yet Renato Veiga, who could suddenly leave on loan after only being available permanently, Joao Felix and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are up for sale.

Plus, the additions of Felix and Dewsbury-Hall were effectively a swap deal to navigate the Profit & Sustainability rules. Conor Gallagher and Michael Golding headed in the other direction, just as Ian Maatsen did for the signing of Omari Kellyman.

This isn’t how to run a football club or build a team capable of challenging the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League. The summer was the fourth part of a perceived four-window plan, but fans are still waiting for a top goalkeeper, a top striker and leaders. It is woeful management made even more ludicrous when you look at the money spent to date.

But the club believes they can take the fans as mugs with these ‘swap deals’ and constant briefs about their faith in Robert Sanchez. The time for that has passed. And seeing how data-driven they want to be, here’s a stat for them: Only Arijanet Muric, Ipswich’s goalkeeper, has made more errors leading to goals than Sanchez’s four. Does that not stand out?

What is going on in the January transfer window?

January is 24 days old and Chelsea are yet to make any first-team signings or loan recalls, other than Chalobah, despite gaping holes in Maresca’s squad.

Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez played 90 minutes in seven consecutive Premier League games during December – the busiest time in the calendar. It isn’t a surprise that the team started conceding second half goals or the fact the latter missed the Wolves game and potentially more with muscle issues caused by overplaying.

What about the club’s other options? Romeo Lavia was back on the treatment table in the blink of an eye, Dewsbury-Hall was hauled off the chopping block for a first league start against Wolves and Cesare Casadei and Carney Chukwuemeka remain out of the first-team picture.

Reinforcements are needed. Good job, Lesley Ugochukwu and Andrey Santos can be recalled then. Oh, wait, the club don’t want to hinder their development.

That development could be insignificant if the club doesn’t finish in the Champions League places this season. But look at this shiny opportunity to sign Alejandro Garnacho when the club have already splurged significant money on Pedro Neto and Felix in that same position in the summer.

The midfield isn’t the only problem, either. Nicolas Jackson hasn’t scored for six games. His backup is Christopher Nkunku, who has been woefully mis-profiled and can leave if a suitable offer arrives.

Jackson is only 23-years-old, but he has to lead Chelsea’s line on his own, and the burden is taking its effect. Maresca’s style results in a high volume of crosses, which doesn’t suit any striker in the squad. Someone in the mould of Olivier Giroud, who proved to be one of the smartest pieces of business the club has done in the last 10 years, would be invaluable and, crucially, relieve some of the pressure on Jackson’s shoulders.

For now, Chelsea are in fourth place, but an improving Newcastle United and Manchester City could overtake them by Saturday evening. Action is needed in the final days of the transfer window else, with a tricky set of away fixtures ahead, the club can kiss goodbye to Champions League football next season.

But as is the circus life, the show must go on.

Written and edited by Harrison Burridge (@hburridge2)