Chelsea star’s four-word verdict on Trevoh Chalobah speaks volumes after shock recall

Chelsea raised eyebrows with their decision to recall Trevoh Chalobah from his loan at Crystal Palace last week, but the defender was their top performer against Wolves

Trevoh Chalobah was singled out by Noni Madueke after starring on his unexpected Chelsea return.

The Blues academy graduate, 25, was farmed out on loan to Crystal Palace in the summer after the club’s new head coach, Enzo Maresca, banishing him and other unwanted first-team players. But Maresca and Chelsea stunned their Premier League rivals stunned by deciding to recall the centre-half last week.

Chalobah was thrust straight into the line-up for Monday night’s 3-1 win over Wolves and was Chelsea’s best player by far, winning the Man of the Match award.

And Madueke, who nodded the defender’s goalbound header home on the line for Chelsea’s third goal, was full of praise for his team-mate post-match.

“Unbelievable,” he said instantly when he was asked to sum Chalobah’s performance up on Sky Sports. “Leadership, character, bravery on the ball. He slotted in seamlessly so I am delighted for him.

“It is no coincidence with players like him and Reece [James] back in we won the game. They are Chelsea through and through and they helped us tonight with their leadership for sure.”

Reflecting on the goal, he added: “It’s instinct. Attacker’s instinct. I knew it was going over the line. I said sorry to Trevoh after. I had to put this in the net for sure. He was saying, ‘No way you took my goal’, but I said, ‘You have to understand, this is what they pay me for!’.”

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Chalobah’s long-term future at Stamford Bridge remains unclear. It had been speculated that Crystal Palace could make a bid to sign him permanently, while he is now unable to play for any other team this season after featuring for both the Eagles and Chelsea.

The club’s decision to bomb certain members of the squad out of the first-team picture during Maresca’s premiership has split opinion. And the decision to ostracise Chalobah at the start of the season was questioned by Sky Sports’ Alan Smith when he explained why he was naming the defender as his Man of the Match.

He said: “I’m giving man of the match to Trevoh Chalobah. When he left Stamford Bridge he was playing with the reserves and he has come back and done ever so well. He got the header down for the Noni Madueke goal too.”

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