Chelsea's spending over the last couple of years under Todd Boehly has been excessive, to say the least, with the American desperate to see his club return to the top end of the Premier League.
The Blues have since splashed over £1b on new signings, with the club breaking the English transfer record in the process by signing Moises Caicedo for an eye-watering £115m.
Whilst there's no denying the club were in desperate need of an overhaul, the number of signings was certainly excessive, putting the club in potential financial trouble, recording £90m losses for the previous financial year.
As a result, the club will have to operate in a smart manner whilst still needing to improve the squad if they are to have any ambitions of finishing within the Champions League positions next season.
However, despite the huge investment in recent times, one player who cost the club absolutely nothing has nailed down a starting role under Mauricio Pochettino and excelled in recent matches, including against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Trevoh Chalobah's stats vs Nottingham Forest
After various injury problems at right-back, academy graduate Trevoh Chalobah has often been the man to fill the void, despite primarily being a central defender.
The meeting at the City Ground on Saturday was no different, despite Malo Gusto and Reece James being on the bench, the 24-year-old starring on the right-hand side of Pochettino's defence.
Chalobah kept Callum Hudson-Odoi quiet for large spells, with the former Blues winger scoring after the defender switched to a central role upon the introduction of Gusto.
With Forest needing a point to secure survival, the Blues had to weather the storm before being able to clinch victory, with Chalobah making five clearances and winning one tackle as he prevented the Reds from claiming the result they needed.
Minutes played
90
Passes completed
69/73 (95%)
Touches
89
Duels won
4/7 (57%)
Clearances
5
Interceptions
1
Tackles
1
Despite his solidity without the ball, the centre-back was just as composed on it, completing 69 passes at a completion rate of 95% and managing 89 touches, as he produced a cool and calm display to secure a third successive win for the Blues.
As a result of his recent flurry of starts under Pochettino, the 24-year-old has seen a sharp increase in his market value – seeing him valued at more than one of the club's big-money signings.
Trevoh Chalobah's market value in 2024
No one could have anticipated Chalobah's recent success in Chelsea's first-team, but it's brilliant to see another product of the Cobham academy excelling at Stamford Bridge.
It's seen his value skyrocket to £17.8m, as per Football Transfers, a value that is £1.8m higher than winger Noni Madueke, whose value has dropped significantly since his £30m move to the club last January.
They've both had a purple patch in recent weeks, the latter notably registering four goal involvements in as many games. Meanwhile, the "fantastic" Chalobah, as described by former boss Thomas Tuchel, scored a brilliant header in the victory over rivals Tottenham Hotspur just a couple of matches ago.
In recent times, Chalobah has been linked with a move away from the club and potentially following the likes of Fikayo Tomori and Marc Guehi who both left Stamford Bridge before excelling at various other sides.
Although they need to raise funds in the summer, Pochettino and Boehly must avoid allowing a third young English centre-back to leave, with Chalobah having the ability to be a key player in the club's revival in the years ahead.
Market Movers
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