Serie A giants AS Roma are reportedly looking to sign Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah on loan in the January transfer window.
According to a report from Corriere dello Sport, Jose Mourinho has prioritised the addition of a defender during the winter transfer window, and Trevoh Chalobah has been earmarked as a potential target for AS Roma.
The report claims that Jose Mourinho wanted to sign a defender at the start of the season, and it was one of his key requests to the Serie A club’s hierarchy. However, AS Roma failed to deliver, and they are now looking to re-enter the market for a quality defender in January.
Chalobah has struggled for regular game time at Stamford Bridge this season, and a move away from Chelsea might be ideal for his development. The 23-year-old will have seen the benefits of regular game time after Fikayo Tomori decided to leave Chelsea for Italy.
Chalobah will hope to follow in his footsteps and continue his development with regular football at Roma during the second half of the season. The versatile Chelsea defender has been used just once in the Premier League against Leicester City this season, and he will be hope to play more often in Serie A if the move goes through.
It remains to be seen whether Chelsea are prepared to let Chalobah leave on a loan deal. The report claims that the Blues do not want to lose the player permanently, and therefore, they might be inclined to sanction a temporary departure so that the player can get some game time and continue his development.
Chalobah can operate as a right-back as well as centre back, and his versatility will be an asset for Mourinho’s side if the former Chelsea boss can pull off the signing. The Blues already have quality defenders like Wesley Fofana, Thiago Silva and Kalidou Koulibaly at their disposal.
Chalobah is unlikely to get ample game time at Stamford Bridge, and leaving on loan could be hugely beneficial for the player. Roma have had a disappointing season so far, and they are currently seventh in the Serie A table. They have conceded seven goals in seven league matches, and bringing in a quality defender could transform their season.