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Trevoh Chalobah has revealed how Thiago Silva, Cesar Azpilicueta and Antonio Rudiger helped him become a Chelsea star.
The centre-back, 22, was widely expected to be loaned out once again last summer after spells with Ipswich, Huddersfield and Lorient.
But Thomas Tuchel handed him his senior debut for the Blues as they beat Villarreal 6-5 on penalties to lift the Super Cup in August, while Chalobah marked his first Premier League start just three days later with a goal in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge.
And he will be forever grateful for the influence Brazil international Silva, 37, has had on his career.
He said: “I came to Chelsea aged eight or nine and I was a striker. I moved to centre-back and I used to always look at Thiago.
“I watched videos of him on YouTube and implemented my game like his. Sharing a pitch with him is unreal.
“When the manager spoke to me after Palace, he said you need to stay with the likes of Thiago, Azpi and Rudiger to learn from them.
“I’ve done the games, I’ve done the experience and now it is time to learn from the senior players. Sharing the pitch with them is where I want to be.
“Azpilicueta always speaks to me. You know how many games he has played now — he tells me to look after my body.”
A hamstring injury sustained in January halted Chalobah’s progress but he returned to action last month for the 2-1 FA Cup win over Plymouth and started the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.
He played in a back three alongside Silva and Rudiger at Wembley, while Azpilicueta filled the right wing-back slot before being replaced by Reece James after picking up a knock.
Finishing on the losing side on Sunday was hard to take, particularly as a challenge from Naby Keita left him requiring six stitches, but the academy graduate knows he can turn to Rudiger for support whenever he needs to.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s FA Cup at Luton tonight, Chalobah told the club’s official website: “When he first came [to the club], my brother [Nathaniel] told him to look after me.
“I used to go round to his house and we chilled. Every time he came over for training, he always got hold of me and helped me.
“He told me to believe in myself. I knew I was good enough — I just needed a platform.
“He told me my time would come. Obviously, it has come this season and I have taken it well.”
