Newcastle and West Ham join AC Milan and Man Utd in race for 'unbelievable' £30m-rated Chelsea star

Newcastle United remain keen to further enhance Eddie Howe’s defensive options before the summer transfer window closes for business at the end of next month.

The Magpies have already completed the free transfer addition of Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly after his Cherries contract came to an end last month. However, the long-term injuries suffered by club captain Jamaal Lascelles and Dutch centre-back Sven Botman mean Howe remains short-handed at the heart of his back four with the new Premier League season rapidly approaching.

United have been linked with a number of centre-backs in recent weeks including Juventus youngster Dean Huijsen, Benfica star Antonio Silva and AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw - but the latest speculation has suggested the Magpies have ‘joined the race’ to sign Chelsea academy product Trevoh Chalobah after he was left out the Blues squad that travelled to the United States earlier this week.

Speaking about the decision, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said: “First of all, from my point of view, it’s always sad to leave players out, that can be out of a pre-season, or can be out of the squad or out of the first eleven because in the end they all work for the same target, that is to be part of the same team. The Trevoh situation for me is quite clear, we have Axel (Disasi) there, we have Tosin (Adarabioyo) there, we have Wes (Fofana]) who in these two weeks has worked very good and is finally back, we have some very young profiles like Josh Acheampong who is doing fantastic. It’s a sad decision but we have to take the decision.”

Following claims Chalobah feels he is being forced out of his boyhood club by their new head coach, GiveMeSport have now reported Newcastle and Premier League rivals West Ham are both ‘considering whether to offer Chalobah a route out of Chelsea’ - although there is said to be fierce competition for the signature of the former England Under-21 international after the likes of Manchester United, AC Milan, Fulham and Crystal Palace were all linked with the versatile defender in the recent past.

The report suggests both the Magpies and West Ham have been ‘put on red alert’ by Maresca’s decision to leave Chalobah out of his squad for the pre-season tour on the other side of the Atlantic and suggested the defender is hoping to move to a club either competing in European competition this season or one ‘with a strong chance’ of securing a top seven finish during the campaign.

Chelsea are said to rate the defender at around the £30m mark and are waiting for formal enquiries. The report also states the Blues are only willing to entertain a permanent departure from Stamford Bridge, rather than another loan move after Chalobah spent temporary spells with the likes of Ipswich Town, Huddersfield Town and French club Lorient earlier in this career.