Chelsea youngster Trevoh Chalobah looks increasingly likely to become new manager Paul Hurst’s first Town signing in the week ahead, TWTD having revealed that the Blues were targeting the 18-year-old on a season-long loan on Thursday.

As previously reported, centre-half or central midfielder Chalobah was at Playford Road on Tuesday for a look around and to meet Hurst with the clubs having spent the last few days tying up the formalities relating to the switch.

Barring anything unexpected, we understand the deal should be completed in time for Chalobah to join up with the Blues squad during the week ahead, in which pre-season training gets under way, and then take part in the training camp in Alicante, Spain in the first week of July.

Hurst made a point of recruiting his loan players early on last summer ahead of Shrewsbury’s impressive 2017/18 League One campaign in order to get them firmly bedded into his squad before the season proper got under way.

Chalobah, the younger brother of Watford’s Nathaniel and an England U19s team-mate of Andre Dozzell, Tristan Nydam and Flynn Downes, is yet to make a senior appearance for Chelsea but was named among the subs for the FA Cup final in May.

He joined Chelsea as an U9 and has won numerous honours at academy level, including the UEFA Youth League in 2015/16, the FA Youth Cup (pictured above) the same season, as well as in 2016/17 when he also picked up an U18 Premier League winner's medal.

Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Chalobah, who can also operate at right-back, has been capped by England at U16, U17 and U19 levels.

He was a member of the squad which won the U19s European Championships last summer, alongside Dozzell, but missed the semi-final and final having suffered a knee injury in the final group game.

Last month, Chalobah was among the young England players Gareth Southgate invited to join his senior squad for training sessions at St George’s Park ahead of the World Cup finals.

Photo: Action Images

jas0999 added 16:26 - Jun 23 Personally not a huge fan of loans, would prefer to build a squad for now and future seasons. BUT like the fact Hurst likes to get players in early to bed them into the team.
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Mullet added 16:28 - Jun 23 It was loans who did so much for Hurst at Shrewsbury and this looks a great one. Does make me wonder if that means one of Emmanuel, Spence or Cotter will be moved out at all, or any of the injured CMs to make room for him.
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12th_Man added 16:32 - Jun 23 Great player get this done itfc
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ITFC_Jenx added 16:39 - Jun 23 Being signed to play as the DM in the 4141?
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dirtydingusmagee added 16:48 - Jun 23 Happy with this., Don't like to see too many loan players ,but we must be realistic, ME wont splash the cash buying players.
2

Mark added 16:49 - Jun 23 I was initially not sure about the loan of an 18-year-old centre back, but after reading about his England credentials and ability to play other positions I think he could be a very useful addition to the squad. Obviously I hope most of the focus is on signing permanent players and on developing our own youth players.
3

TonyMowbray added 16:53 - Jun 23 Young ball playing centre half with strength and pace....for the whole season? Yes please. Not sure what the fuss is about having a couple of loan players. Loan players have been our most technically talented footballers over the last few years whilst generally contributing lots......Celina, Fraser, Lawrence etc. As long as we still give some of our own youth players a chance and make a few permanent signings then no problem at all i say.

3

BlueandTruesince82 added 16:57 - Jun 23 The boy has class, as does his brother. Of course having potential and realising it are 3 diffrent things and there is no guarantee that he will be a success with us but the lad is no doubt a player of some ability and one assumes he's to play as CB or DCM........ he's young and hungry, I like this loan or not. Surely if we are brining in good players then that's good. So many players make loan moved perm so who knows.....! Happy if it happens

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 17:42 - Jun 23 Good move. Shows PH is capable of getting in potentially good loans at this level. I'm sure our yoofs will get their chance if they are up to it. But I have no problem wiith adding quality to the squad.
1

Currie10 added 18:00 - Jun 23 Be a lot of Prem league loanees coming to us a lot earlier this summer due to the change in Premier league squads etc / when they have to submit their numbers. For what it's worth, I think we need bare minimum 5 and that's relying on various players being fit all season! Plus, Hurst will assess a few and maybe 3 / 4 be quite keen to ship out. Very tough summer for him to build a squad capable in a league when a good 15 clubs will be spending a bucket tonne more than us in fees.

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RegencyBlue added 18:09 - Jun 23 My Chelsea supporting mate really rates this guy. Don't mind quality loans, it's the way things are these days, so hopefully this will work out well.
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Len_Brennan added 18:41 - Jun 23 This is a good start for Hurst. All clubs look to bring players in on loan, so In have no problem with that, as long as they are good quality & all the signs point to Chalobah being top class, allbeit young. It also proves that Hurst is able to step up & recruit from top 6 Premiership clubs when appropriate. I'm assuming that he's coming to play centre half, as Emmanuel & Spence look to be cover enough for us at RB. In the case, if Hurst is looking play 4 at the back, are we likely to see him partner another ball playing CH in Webster I wonder?

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braveblue added 18:50 - Jun 23 Get players early. Bed them in. New thinking. Great.
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Lathers added 23:02 - Jun 23 @Mullet, Emmanuel and Spence aren't good enough for a team that wants to progress at this level. Can't comment on Cotter as haven't seen him play. This sounds like a very positive signing and hopefully the first of a number of changes to the old fashioned gritty type of player McCarthy broke the club with.
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virginblue added 08:30 - Jun 24 How anyone can state that Emmanuel isn't good enough is beyond me - unless he was a season ticket holder at Rotherham.
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SheptonMalletBlue added 16:17 - Jun 24 What a great signing this would be. We can then move the fist pumper on!!
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Dog added 18:50 - Jun 24 With the exception of a new manager this is another close season which is so underwhelming. Less than six weeks to the end of the transfer season and we have signed jack all. All i want is better football and a manager who is supported in the transfer market. Not a lot to ask for.
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