Trevoh Chalobah ends near-20-year Chelsea association to join Como 1907
Trevoh Chalobah ended his near 20-year association with Chelsea by joining Como 1907 this summer, the 27-year-old said while at Como's pre-season camp in Teddington in south west London, in a report published on 17 August 2026. He completed a £31m move to the Serie A club last week and leaves Chelsea having made 151 appearances.
Chalobah described resilience as his defining trait after a career of setbacks and comebacks, saying he is "very, very resilient" and adding, "That's one of my attributes and one of my skills that I have, bouncing back from things and not allowing anything to get to me." He was part of Chelsea's so-called "bomb squad" under Enzo Maresca in 2024, during which he was left out of first-team training, made available for transfer and sent out on loan before being recalled from Crystal Palace in January 2025.
As a youngster in Chelsea's Cobham academy Chalobah recalled moments of self-doubt, including "crying in the car because he did not feel good enough" while playing alongside Mason Mount and Declan Rice, yet he fulfilled his ambition of playing for the Blues. The defender reflected that those early experiences were part of a progression that took him from academy sessions to sustained first-team involvement.
Chalobah noted the 2022 change of ownership from Roman Abramovich to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital and said that the ensuing period saw almost every player sold and new signings in a chaotic first two years. He left Chelsea on good terms after registering his highest single-season appearance total of 47 last term and said: "I always wanted to play for Chelsea no matter what the circumstances were, I always believed that I could do it," adding, "I'm grateful for every setback, every challenge, every trophy I've won. I've won a few things there and it's a club where I've improved and I've learned a lot. Stepping in as a young boy and then leaving as a man, I'm really happy with my career there. I will always keep the blue flag flying. I'll be supporting them, I'll be watching them this season and they'll always be in my heart."
His club career has included an overseas loan to Lorient in the 2020-21 season, a move he said echoed his older brother Nathaniel's path to Napoli. Chalobah credited Thomas Tuchel with both handing him his Chelsea debut and later calling him into England's World Cup squad as a late replacement for the injured Tino Livramento after receiving the call while on holiday in New York, saying: "The story's already written before I was born... He's the one that gave me my debut for Chelsea and he's the same manager that called me up for the World Cup last minute."
On the international tournament, Chalobah recalled England's semi-final defeat by Argentina and the subsequent bronze-medal match, a 6-4 victory over France, saying: "No one wants to come third. You're just one step away from the final. It was definitely hard for the players. It did hit us for a couple of days. You know how hard the boys worked, how they believed that we could win it. And yeah, we were so close. But we learn from this and be proud of what we've done and achieved."
Chalobah linked his move to Como to a reunion with former Chelsea team-mate Cesc Fabregas, whom he remembered as "demanding" during academy sessions, and to the project's recent on-field progress; the club's rise from Serie B to the Champions League in two seasons was cited in his decision amid reported interest from Inter Milan. Describing his conversations with Fabregas, Chalobah said: "He was a massive part. He explained what he wanted, the way he sees the club and how he sees me fitting into this club and how I can help - having a lot of experience, physicality as well, the leadership. It wasn't an overnight thing, it was a very thoughtful and hard decision. But I thought, as I said, the trajectory of this club and the direction it's going in, and speaking to the manager, and wanting to be part of this story. I'm really excited for this new chapter in my beautiful story that I've had so far."
Chalobah has completed his transfer to Como and said he will continue to support Chelsea, stating: "I'll be supporting them, I'll be watching them this season and they'll always be in my heart."
