Nathaniel Chalobah, Watford Agree to 5-Year Contract After Transfer from Chelsea

Nathaniel Chalobah has completed his move to Watford from Chelsea for an undisclosed fee, signing a five-year deal with his new club.

The Hornets announced the news via their official website on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, the London Evening Standard's Simon Johnson reported the Blues tried to keep the 22-year-old at the club with the offer of a new contract, but the midfielder had made up his mind.

It now seems the Premier League champions have relented and opted to cash in.

Bruce Kluckhohn/Associated Press

Chalobah has spent the bulk of his senior career as a loan player and barely featured for the Blues last season, making just a single Premier League start.

He needed more consistent playing time to continue his development, so his desire to move to Watford makes sense. He spent the 2012/13 season on loan with the Hornets.

His move is another blow for the reputation of Chelsea's academy, which has housed a tremendous amount of young talent in the last five years but has seen virtually no one make a significant impact for the senior side.

Bertrand Traore and Nathan Ake also left the club this summer, moving to Lyon and Bournemouth, respectively.