Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva says he is delighted with how Trevoh Chalobah has managed to establish himself as a first-team regular for the Blues.

The 22-year-old has started 12 matches in all competitions this season and Silva claims that the player has slotted in without needing any advice from him or other teammates:

“He is a player, despite being so young, who plays like an experienced professional. And that makes me really happy because I’m there alongside him playing the same position and I can see how he’s performing, how he’s developing. Not just anybody can do this, can step up to a team like Chelsea and perform and he’s not doing it because of my help, he’s doing it because of his own abilities.”

“He is a player who I knew from France where he was playing at a lower level for Lorient and he’s made the step up and he’s playing here because he deserves to. Some people said that he didn’t have the ability to do so but he’s made it because of his own capacities. That’s something that makes me really happy because a player like Trevoh Chalobah is the future of this club.”

It is a testament to Chalobah’s ability that he has been able to come into the side and make an immediate impact without looking out of place whatsoever.

As Silva mentions, this time last year the defender was playing as a holding midfielder for Ligue One side Lorient but he has progressed at lightning speed since then.

Chalobah started playing mainly as a centre-half back in February, impressing in the second half of the campaign before returning to Cobham for preseason. The player hasn’t really looked back from there.

While he did pick up a hamstring injury against Watford last night, it will be hoped that it doesn’t keep him out for too long.