Nathaniel Chalobah

Chelsea
Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on 12 December 1994, Nathaniel signed his first professional contract in January 2012 having turned 17, putting pen to a two-and-a-half year deal.

That was halfway through his first season full-time at the club, a campaign that saw him regularly captain the reserves and the FA Youth Cup side.

Nathaniel is used to playing above his age having made his England Under 17 debut aged 14. He became a European champion at that international level in the summer of 2010, playing in the same team as Josh McEachran, and he later captained that side as well.

Tall and able to play in central defence or midfield, he came through the Chelsea Academy and also played for England Under 16s.

Despite his tender age, he was a key figure in the reserve squad that won the national championship in 2011, and has now graduated to the national Under 19 group. He has been an unused sub for the first team.

He was captain of the side that won the 2012 FA Youth Cup and ended the season as part of the first team squad that flew to Munich for the Champions League Final.

On 31 August 2012 he joined Championship side Watford, managed by Gianfranco Zola, on loan. The loan initially stipulated that Chalobah would return to Stamford Bridge in January, 2013. However, after impressing at Vicarage Road and featuring regularly, the deal was extended until the end of the season.

Chalobah has played a pivotal role in a side pushing for promotion to the Premier League. Thus far, he has scored five goals for Watford, including a stunning strike in a win at Leicester City.

International
Nathaniel is used to playing above his age having made his England Under-17 debut aged 14. He became a European champion at that international level in the summer of 2010, playing in the same team as Josh McEachran, and he later captained that side as well.  

A captain of the Under-19s, he played his first Under-21 game against Northern Ireland back in November.

On 3 February, Chalobah was named England Men's Youth Player of the Year at an FA awards ceremony, a prize which recognised his contribution at both Under-21 and Under-19 level.

In May 2013 he was named in the England Under-21 squad ahead of the European Championships in Israel.