Pochettino given new Chelsea transfer power - and decides first January casualty

21 October 2023 , 21:30

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Mauricio Pochettino now holds all the cards when it comes to Chelsea's transfer business (Image: Getty Images)

Trevoh Chalobah is set to become the next casualty of Todd Boehly's ruthless Chelsea regime - after Mauricio Pochettino was handed total transfer control.

Chalobah does not feature as part of the Argentine's plans, with the 24-year-old yet to feature for the Blues this season having recently endured another injury setback. Chalobah rejected a deadline day move to Nottingham Forest in hope that he would secure a switch to Bayern Munich.

However, Bayern failed to find an agreement with Chelsea meaning Chalobah eventually stayed put. Now he is available for transfer and both parties expect the versatile central defender to leave the club this winter. Bayern are poised to return to the negotiating table in the coming months as Thomas Tuchel eyes a reunion with his former player.

Chelsea are also conscious of the fact any sale would represent 100 per cent profit against Financial Fair Play records - enabling them to balance the books. Speaking in mid-September, Pochettino claimed Chelsea only received offers for Chalobah because the player wanted to depart.

"What I can tell you is there is two parts," Pochettino explained. "If an offer appears, it is because another part of the club accepted it to move or they were trying to find a solution or the player wanted to leave. You cannot only blame the club, if an offer appears for Jesus [Perez, my assistant], it is because Jesus was open to receiving the offer, no? Come on, we need to also be clever. Did you receive an offer, Jesus [laughs]?!

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Trevoh Chalobah is yet to feature for Chelsea this season (AFP via Getty Images)

"No, but it is always easy to blame the club and blame the club. In the same way, maybe the player was thinking in pre-season or before the season to move in one direction. If after that didn’t happen, then I am fair with the player. I will give them a chance to perform and play here.

"Maybe the player decides to stay after but that’s the business. That is not 'oh the club accepted the offer' or 'the player wanted to move'. Come on, it is the business that we know very well. The players that are here if they deserve will have the opportunities to play but they need to be better than the others in their position."

Meanwhile, Chelsea have now triggered a one-year extension clause within Ian Maatsen's contract. The Blues accepted a £31.5million bid from Burnley on deadline day but Maatsen snubbed a return to Turf Moor where he spent last season on loan.

West Ham are among his growing list of admirers and Chelsea ideally want to tie the full-back down to a long-term contract despite his lack of playing time. So far, Maatsen has rejected two contract offers and if Chelsea fail to strike an agreement over fresh terms - they could entertain offers again this January.

Ryan Taylor