Chelsea have reportedly taken the decision to recall Trevoh Chalobah from his loan spell with Crystal Palace.
The 25-year-old has spent the first half of the campaign at Selhurst Park after it soon became apparent that he was not a part of Enzo Maresca's plans at Stamford Bridge.
Although a buy option was not included in a deal that was finalised during the closing minutes of the summer transfer window, it was felt that Chalobah may have played his final game for Chelsea.
However, at a time when Chalobah has been starring in a back three with the Eagles, Maresca's defensive options have been reduced courtesy of injuries to Wesley Fofana and Benoit Badiashile.
With Renato Veiga also seemingly pushing for a loan stint away from West London, it has forced Chelsea to act at a time when they have failed to win any of their last five Premier League fixtures.
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Chalobah to be reunited with Chelsea
According to The Athletic and a number of other outlets, Chelsea have decided to reintegrate Chalobah back into the first-team fold with immediate effect.
Club officials have activated the recall option in their deal with their Palace counterparts, rather than explore a big-money deal for fellow Palace centre-back Marc Guehi.
Chalobah leaves Palace having made 14 starts for the club in all competitions, scoring three goals including one in his most recent appearance against Southampton on December 29.
The report adds that a strong working relationship between the two clubs has helped matters behind the scenes, while Chalobah himself is said to have given the green light to a return, as per The Telegraph.
In a further report by talkSPORT's Alex Crook, Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali is said to have personally made contact with Chalobah to explain the situation.
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How will Maresca use Chalobah?
Chalobah will bring extra competition to a defensive area that includes Levi Colwill, Tosin Adarabioyo, Axel Disasi and Josh Acheampong as options in the centre.
While 18-year-old Acheampong has started the last two Premier League fixtures, it appears plausible that Chalobah will slot straight into the team alongside Colwill.
Adarabioyo has found himself in and out of the starting lineup for top-flight games, while Disasi is increasingly likely to leave on a permanent or temporary basis.
Darren Plant
