While the noise surrounding West Ham United in the late stage of the January transfer market focuses on the strengthening of the frontline, and rightly so, David Moyes is keen to target new additions across multiple positions.
Michail Antonio, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta are all injured and the talismanic latter not expected back until March, so it's no surprise that the Irons are pushing for a deal with Al-Ittihad for Portuguese winger Jota on loan before Thursday's deadline.
Pablo Fornals is closing in on a move to Real Betis and a £15m fee has been agreed with French club Lyon for the transfer of Said Benrahma to facilitate the exciting incoming, while Kalvin Phillips completed a loan move to the London Stadium from Manchester City last week.
It was admittedly a slow start to the window but things are very much heating up now and Moyes might look to take advantage of the frenetic nature of the window's closing period by acting on interest for a Premier League star who has yet to feature this season.
West Ham eyeing Premier League defender
According to Sky Sports transfer correspondent Dharmesh Sheth, dynamic Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah is on West Ham's radar, with Moyes keeping an eye on the player, unseen this season after suffering a recurrence of a hamstring injury back in August.
The Hammers were interested in a move for Chalobah in the summer and could now return in the coming days, with a bid of around £25m mooted for his sale earlier in the campaign.
Last summer, Chelsea set a £45m asking price for the 23-year-old but this was not met by any suitor and it is most unlikely that such a figure will hold up at present, with Chalobah on the fringe and yet to feature this term.
Trevoh Chalobah could be Moyes' own Ibrahima Konate
Chalobah might not have been in action this season but he proved his worth as a versatile and promising Premier League talent for a struggling Chelsea side last season, praised for his "ice cold" repose by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Having chalked up 63 appearances for the Stamford Bridge side, Chalobah has netted four goals and has proved his flexibility on the pitch with stellar showings in central defence, out wide and anchoring the midfield.
As per FBref, the 6 foot 3 titan ranks among the top 5% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for passes attempted, the top 17% for progressive passes, the top 12% for progressive carries, the top 4% for successful take-ons and the top 7% for tackles per 90.
The £50k-per-week ace is evidently an excellent distributor and an intelligent and imposing presence. Given that he is considered a similar player to Liverpool menace Ibrahima Konate too, Moyes might be onto something in monitoring Chalobah's situation in west London.
Piero Hincapie
Bayer Leverkusen
Danilo
Juventus
Rafael Toloi
Atalanta
Josko Gvardiol
Manchester City
Ibrahima Konate
Liverpool
Konate joined Liverpool in 2020 after Jurgen Klopp's side met his £36m release clause with RB Leipzig, and while the France international has ebbed and flowed from fitness, he has been described as an “absolute beast” for his stunning recent performances.
Joel Matip's season-ending injury compounded a certain lack of depth in the Anfield defensive ranks but Konate's recent efforts have been vital for the Premier League table-toppers in fighting for silverware across multiple fronts this term.
As per Sofascore, the 24-year-old has completed 89% of his passes across 15 Premier League outings this season, averaging 0.4 key passes, 1.5 tackles and 4.3 ball recoveries per game while winning 65% of his contested duels.
Moreover, the 6 foot 4 colossus ranks among the top 20% of positional peers for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for passes attempted, the top 14% for progressive passes, the top 15% for successful take-ons, the top 10% for tackles and the top 8% for aerial wins per 90.
There is a clear semblance between Konate and Chalobah, therefore, and while the Chelsea man is of a leaner, rangier build, he is a towering defender nonetheless and has been dubbed a “soldier" in the backline in the past by former Blues manager Graham Potter for his commanding and combative efforts.
How Chalobah would slot in at West Ham
A natural and progressive distributor, Chalobah's forward-thinking approach to his play would be an excellent fit for a Hammers side looking to absorb pressure and fling the ball through the lanes into the danger area.
Passing
Aerial duels
Tackling
Concentration
Ball retention
Source: WhoScored
His tactical intelligence and the crispness of his passing are attractive parts of his skill set and while Chelsea fell by the wayside last season, he did manage to showcase the core of his talents across his 25 outings in the top-flight.
Completing 89% of his passes during the 2022/23 campaign, Chalobah averaged 1.2 tackles and 2.2 clearances per fixture and won 63% of his ground duels.
While West Ham are prioritising the bolstering of the frontline it's wise that plans have been drawn up to secure the services of a talented defender in Chalobah, who could emulate Hammers captain Kurt Zouma in moving to east London and kickstarting his career.
