Having started his Chelsea career as the main man at left-back, appearances have begun to dry up for Ben Chilwell since the arrival of Todd Boehly and the American's significant squad investment.
No Premier League appearances this season and initially frozen out of the squad by new manager Enzo Maresca, the evidence points towards a January move away for Chilwell. One of the Blues' London rivals are currently in pole position to secure his signature.
West Ham are the frontrunners to sign Chilwell and stand at 7/4. Some other surprising options have emerged as potential suitors for the attack-minded full-back, such as the Turkish Super Lig and former employers Leicester.
With the January window imminent, a race to be Chilwell's next club is materialising.
Ben Chilwell next club odds
The table below shows the clubs currently showing interest in Chilwell. With his current position at the club, it seems almost certain that he will leave in the upcoming window in an attempt to secure more game time.
Team | Best odds |
---|---|
West Ham |
7/2 |
Any Turkish Super Lig team |
5/1 |
Leicester |
6/1 |
Everton |
10/1 |
Man United |
12/1 |
Crystal Palace |
12/1 |
Newcastle |
14/1 |
Any Saudi Arabian team |
16/1 |
Borussia Dortmund |
16/1 |
Current favourites
West Ham – 7/4
London rivals West Ham are the favoured choice for bookies, and it would appear they provide very good value for punters too. The Hammers' only recognised left-backs are 30-year-old Emerson and 34-year-old Aaron Cresswell.
Although Chilwell is by no means a youngster at 27, it is clear that West Ham's players are ageing significantly in that position, which may have contributed to their lacklustre defensive showing this season. 19 goals conceded in 11 games is not the greatest return for Julen Lopetegui's side, and the addition of a complete full-back who can both attack and defend may be exactly what is needed.
Any Turkish Super Lig team – 5/1
A rather left-field choice, backing Chilwell to sign for a Turkish side does not seem like clever betting at 5/1. It was reported in the summer that Chelsea were attempting to offload Chilwell to a Turkish side on loan, but there was no evidence to suggest that Chilwell himself was in favour of this deal.
Now entering his prime years, it seems unlikely that he would move to the Turkish Super Lig when he evidently still has the potential to feature at the top level.
Leicester – 6/1
Chilwell's former club Leicester could be a good bet at 6/1. Steve Cooper's men are desperately trying to avoid relegation, and an experienced full-back could help shore up some of the club's defensive weaknesses. The -7 goal difference is not excellent viewing for Foxes fans, and many may feel that a return to his boyhood club would be the perfect revival for Chilwell's career.
Originally sold for £50 million to Chelsea, it could be time for the defender's career to come full circle. At 6/1, the club for which Chilwell has already made 123 appearances could provide good value.
Everton – 10/1
Yet another club with defensive woes looking to pick up Ben Chilwell could be Sean Dyche's Everton. The Toffees have only Ashley Young and Vitalii Mykolenko for the position, and it has been obvious over the years that the former Leicester man would eclipse them both.
However, due to Young's recent performances and Mykolenko's vast improvement at the back under Dyche, Everton remain outsiders to pursue a January move for Chilwell at 10/1.