Ben Chilwell is set to complete a loan move to Crystal Palace for the remainder of the season after Chelsea and the Eagles reached an agreement. The 28-year-old left-back will undergo a medical on Monday before finalizing his move to Selhurst Park, where he hopes to secure regular playing time and contribute to Palace's push in the Premier League.
Palace's interest in Chilwell comes after the club was forced to address a defensive gap following the season-ending injury to Chadi Riad. Additionally, Trevoh Chalobah has returned to Chelsea from his own loan spell, further prompting the club to seek out reinforcements in the left-back position. Although Everton had also shown interest in signing Chilwell, they were ineligible to secure another Chelsea player after already bringing in Armando Broja on loan for the 2024/25 campaign.
Chilwell, who has been on the fringes at Chelsea this season, will now look to revive his career at Palace. The left-back has not been a regular starter since head coach Enzo Maresca revealed in August that Chilwell did not fit into his tactical plans for the season. Maresca suggested that it would be beneficial for Chilwell to seek a move elsewhere in order to gain more regular playing time. Despite the summer transfer window seeing speculation about his potential departure, a move did not materialize, and Chilwell has only made one appearance this season—a brief cameo in a 5-0 Carabao Cup victory over Barrow in September.
Chilwell originally joined Chelsea from Leicester City in 2020 for a fee of £50 million and quickly became a key player in the squad, playing an instrumental role in their 2021 Champions League triumph. However, his progress has been significantly hampered by injuries, including a serious ACL tear in 2021 and ongoing hamstring problems that have limited his appearances and consistency in recent seasons. Despite these setbacks, Chilwell's talent has been recognized at the international level, as he has earned 21 caps for England.
Now, as he prepares to move to Crystal Palace, Chilwell will look to regain form and prove himself once again as a top-tier left-back. His arrival will provide much-needed defensive cover for Palace as they look to secure a strong finish in the Premier League, and Chilwell will be eager to show that he can still compete at the highest level after facing difficult seasons at Chelsea.