Trevoh Chalobah is no Raphael Varane and Manchester United should remember that

According to a Daily Mail report, Manchester United are considering a move for Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah this summer.

United have just brought to close an underwhelming season—despite the FA Cup triumph—that saw them struggle with injuries, particularly at the back.

Player departures in that department are also in line in the off-season. Raphaël Varane has already left the club, Aaron Wan-Bissaka is all but expected to follow suit, and the likes of Casemiro and Sofyan Amrabat are also likely not to feature in a United shirt again.

Amidst all this upheaval, Chelsea’s £30m-rated Chalobah sounds like a good deal. Despite sporadic appearances, the 24-year-old former England U21 international has proved himself to be quite adept at the top level ever since breaking into the senior Blues setup during the Frank Lampard years.

But it’s important to keep in mind what to expect from him. For starters: he’s not Varane.

The former France international was brought to Old Trafford three seasons ago in his prime years to serve as a better, more compatible centre-back to pair Harry Maguire when compared to Victor Lindelöf.

This is not the role Chalobah can fulfil, and neither should he be expected to do so. Still in his formative years, the biggest asset he has in his corner is his versatility. Chalobah is capable of playing as a centre-back, right-back, and even a defensive-midfielder, positions for which United strongly need reinforcement. In his time under Thomas Tuchel, he wasn’t too back going forward either.

In terms of availability, Chalobah did miss a huge chunk of this season with a thigh problem, but he seems to have recovered from it successfully if his recent performances are anything to go by.

Also, the contract. He currently makes £50k per week at Chelsea off a contract set to run until June 2028. Even if he were to be offered a raise by United, the new contract would not break any bank.

Conclusion

For the kind of transfer fee he is available for, picking up Trevoh Chalobah this summer is an absolute no-brainer for United. He is not Varane, and he doesn’t have to be; he is someone United need even more than the veteran Frenchman.

At 24, he has plenty of years ahead of him in order to hone his skill across the many positions he is able to perform in. All he needs is a stable environment in which to grow. United do plan to go in that direction as an institution, and if they successfully manage to bring about that overhaul, Chalobah could very well become the blueprint for shrewd deals United could use in the future.

In recent weeks, United have been linked with a lot of silly moves, from player to transfer fee. And why shouldn’t they be? They have taken quite a few missteps in that regard over the past 11 years. This, however, would not be one of those missteps.

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Chalobah is absolutely a player United should be moving for, taking into account his age, his versatility, his contract, and the fee Chelsea are reportedly looking for.