An update has been provided on Newcastle United's interest in Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, as the Magpies look to add depth to their centre-back options.
Eddie Howe is already set to start the season without Fabian Schar, who picked up an injury in pre-season.
What's the latest on Trevoh Chalobah to Newcastle United?
The Magpies have stepped up their plans to sign Chalobah this summer, with the Blues demanding £25.8m for their defender, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
The same report suggests that an exit is a real possibility for the academy graduate this summer, who may find his game time limited in the forthcoming season.
As things stand, Chalobah will be forced to compete for a starting place with Levi Colwill, Thiago Silva, and Benoit Badiashile under Mauricio Pochettino this season. Given that the London club aren't in Europe this season, either, the games won't exactly be coming thick and fast to warrant consistent rotation.
Newcastle, meanwhile, could use all the depth that they can get after securing their return to the Champions League last season. The last thing they'll want is to fail when it comes to balancing the excessive fixtures.
The potential arrival of Chalobah could help avoid that potential issue, however.
Should Newcastle United sign Trevoh Chalobah?
Following Schar's injury, ironically coming against Chelsea in pre-season, Newcastle have been left with just two recognised central defenders in the first-team, with Sven Botman, and Jamaal Lascelles set to step up for Howe at the start of the season.
Schar's injury may prove to be a blessing in disguise though, as it has exposed the Magpies' lack of depth in their backline. And, with that information, they could finally solve that issue this summer.
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Chalobah could be an ideal solution, too, given his relatively cheap price-tag in today's market. The Chelsea defender would also give Newcastle's current defence competition to think about, with plenty of Champions League experience, despite still only being 24-years-old.
Statistically speaking,, Chalobah even outperformed the Newcastle defenders in some areas last season. According to FBref, the Chelsea man made more progressive passes, more progressive carries, and won more tackles per 90 than Lascelles, Schar, and Botman in the last campaign.
The fact that Chalobah shares an agent with Kieran Trippier, too, could make a deal all the more easier for Newcastle to complete in the coming weeks.
On top of that, it's worth noting that the Englishman has earned plenty of praise during his time at Stamford Bridge, including from former manager Graham Potter, who told Chelsea's official club website: "I’ve been very impressed from day one.
"He wasn’t in for the first couple of games, but acted perfectly: trained really well, very professional, very determined. He’s an impressive character, very focused on his football.
"He’s a bit of a soldier. He’s played in all the games, we’re having some problems in terms of availability for players, but he’s stood up, stood in and he’s performing at a really good level."
With that said, Chalobah's immediate future is certainly one to keep an eye on this summer.
