Nathaniel Chalboah switched Chelsea for Watford after being frustrated over his lack of opportunities
After 12 years at Stamford Bridge, Chalboah moved north of London to get more first-team football
NATHANIEL CHALOBAH chose to leave Chelsea and join Watford on a five-year deal in the hope of more first-team football.
The 22-year-old midfielder has spent much of his professional career at Stamford Bridge being sent out on loan and now wants to prove himself under Watford's new manager, Marco Silva.
Chalboah spent last season on the periphery at Chelsea, managing 15 appearances but wants to develop as a player by playing more regularly.
The midfielder has been sent out on loan six times from the Blues and wants to prove himself in order to catch Gareth Southgate's eye, according to Football365.
He has spoken of his preference for Watford after spending a season on loan at Vicarage Road in 2012-13 and claimed he wanted to "belong somewhere".
He said: “I was offered a new contract but I decided to leave and hopefully get opportunities here.
“I was offered a new contract but I decided to leave and hopefully get opportunities here.
“Leaving Chelsea was very emotional because I’d been there since I was a boy. I wanted to be part of (Watford) again and I wanted to feel like I belong somewhere.
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“No disrespect to Chelsea but when I was here first time I did feel as if I was involved quite a bit and I did get opportunities.
“(My England prospects) were part of the reasons. It was just about trying to improve.
Silva paid £5m to sign Chalboah earlier this summer and hopes the player with plenty of international youth team experience can strengthen his squad.
Nathan Ake, Chalboah's former team-mate, also departed from Chelsea this year heading for Bournemouth, after similarly wanting more chances to perform for his parent club.
Chalboah came through the ranks of Cheslea's youth team and posted an emotional tribute to them on his twitter page after 12 years at the club.
"(Marco Silva, Watford’s new) manager was also something that was part of that," added Chalobah. "I’d heard some great things about him and I’d seen his work from last season (with Hull).
“I felt like he would be the perfect guy to improve me and hopefully teach me some new things.
“Being (at Chelsea) last year, I saw how difficult it was to get in the team. You’ve got world-class players and all these players got to where they got to by playing games and putting their name out there.
“It was important for me to try to get that so I can say one day, ‘Okay I’ve been there, got the experience I need and moved at the right time’.”
The ex-Chelsea player has performed at every stage for England since U16 youth level and has completed loan spells at Burnley, Middlesbrough, Nottingham Forest, Reading and even Napoli.
