Chalobah has officially ended his long journey with Chelsea , completing a permanent move to Italian side Como for a fixed fee of €30m plus add-ons. The defender revealed that Como head coach Fabregas was the instrumental figure in convincing him to snub interest from Inter and join the Giuseppe Sinigaglia outfit.
Choosing the story over the giants
Despite heavy interest from reigning Serie A champions Inter earlier in the transfer window, Chalobah felt that the project in Como offered a unique opportunity to build a legacy. The 27-year-old, who had been in and out of the first team under various managers at the Stamford Bridge, felt the move was the right step for his development.
"He (Fabregas) was a massive part. He explained what he wanted, the way he sees the club and how he sees me fitting into this club and how I can help - having a lot of experience, physicality as well, the leadership," Chalobah said in an interview with BBC Sport .
"It wasn't an overnight thing, it was a very thoughtful and hard decision. But I thought, as I said, the trajectory of this club and the direction it's going in, and speaking to the manager, and wanting to be part of this story. I'm really excited for this new chapter in my beautiful story that I've had so far," he added.
Chalobah leaves Chelsea after arriving as an Under-9, having made 151 competitive appearances for the club. Despite the challenges of recent seasons, including a temporary loan to Crystal Palace that was eventually recalled, he remains a staunch supporter of the Blues. He expressed immense pride in his journey from the academy to lifting trophies like the Club World Cup with the senior squad.
"I always wanted to play for Chelsea no matter what the circumstances were," the England international added. "I always believed that I could do it. I'm grateful for every setback, every challenge, every trophy I've won. I've won a few things there and it's a club where I've improved and I've learned a lot.
"Stepping in as a young boy and then leaving as a man, I'm really happy with my career there. I will always keep the blue flag flying. I'll be supporting them, I'll be watching them this season and they'll always be in my heart."
World Cup reflections and resilience
The move to Italy comes off the back of a summer where Chalobah earned a late call-up to Thomas Tuchel's England squad for the 2026 World Cup. Although England suffered a painful semi-final exit, they finished the tournament on a high with a 6-4 victory over France in the third-place play-off.
Reflecting on the bittersweet finish, Chalobah concluded: "No one wants to come third. You're just one step away from the final It was definitely hard for the players. It did hit us for a couple of days. You know how hard the boys worked, how they believed that we could win it. And yeah, we were so close. But we learn from this and be proud of what we've done and achieved."
