In the summer, Xabi Alonso had a massive job on his hands. He had to reduce the size of a bloated squad primed for European football, with Chelsea unable to qualify for continental competition.

In most positions, Chelsea had to sell. Up front, the Blues raked in around £130m for Nicolas Jackson, Liam Delap and Marc Guiu. But it was at centre-back where Chelsea needed a major reshuffle of players.

Axel Disasi and Aaron Anselmino returned from loans, and at one point, including Jorrel Hato, Chelsea had 11 options. Disasi, Tosin Adarabioyo, Mamadou Sarr, Benoit Badiashile, and Trevoh Chalobah all left.

Trevoh Chalobah thought he’d become a Chelsea legend

Tosin left permanently, finally making his first Premier League start for Spurs on Monday. Disasi, Sarr and Badiashile all left the club on loan, while Chelsea raked in £30m for Chalobah as he jetted off to Como.

Tonight, Cesc Fabregas and Chalobah host Man United in the Champions League. In an interview with The Athletic, Chalobah admits he had dreamt of becoming a Chelsea legend. The club still means a lot to him.

Trevoh Chalobah has been getting away it for too long 😑

This is alarming!

The team didn’t achieve what we wanted to achieve last season, but I thought I had one of my best seasons, playing the most games and scoring a few goals. I’d been there since I was eight,” Chalobah said.

“I wanted to be a legend there, but sometimes the way we plan things is not how things work out. As footballers, you’ve always got to be ready to adapt. You could be here one moment,” he continued.

“Then the next moment you’re somewhere else. But I just thought that it was the best. Chelsea means everything to me. I’m still watching the games, keeping in contact with the players and staff.”

How Trevoh Chalobah has fared compared to Chelsea’s defenders

Chalobah is said to have made a solid start in Italy. It is his second move abroad, having gone on loan to Lorient from Chelsea during his breakthrough years at Stamford Bridge. It looks like £30m well spent.

But how has he fared compared to Chelsea’s four main options in central defence – Josh Acheampong, Wesley Fofana, Maxence Lacroix and Levi Colwill? Below is a comparison of their stats just this season.

The stats actually suggest that the best among the five has been Wesley Fofana. As things stand, Fofana is currently on the bench at Chelsea, with Acheampong, Lacroix, and Colwill preferred in defence by Alonso.

But Chalobah’s stats with Como are in the same ballpark. The notable omission is that his passes are miles ahead of Chelsea’s defenders, which suggests two things. The first, Como likes to keep the ball more.

The second is that Chalobah is playing with confidence. The England international is showing the kind of technical ability that was not often seen in a Chelsea shirt. Was it right to sell him? For Chalobah, it was.