Watford are in pole position to sign Nathaniel Chalobah from Chelsea for £5m this month.

The 22-year-old midfielder is heading for the Stamford Bridge exit in pursuit of first-team football and Watford see him as the perfect young player to reinvigorate their ageing squad.

Chalobah still has one year left on the Chelsea contract he signed in 2013 but he is reluctant to sign a new one without assurances from Antonio Conte about playing time this season.

2016/17 Premier League kits Show all 20 1 /20 2016/17 Premier League kits 2016/17 Premier League kits Arsenal (home) Our rating: 6/10 Arsenal / Puma 2016/17 Premier League kits Bournemouth (home) Our rating: 8/10 AFC Bournemouth / JD Sports 2016/17 Premier League kits Burnley (home) Our rating: 6/10 Bunrley / Puma 2016/17 Premier League kits Chelsea (home) Our rating: 7/10 Chelsea / Adidas 2016/17 Premier League kits Crystal Palace (home) Our rating: 5/10 Crystal Palace / Macron 2016/17 Premier League kits Everton (home) Our rating: 9/10 Everton / Umbro 2016/17 Premier League kits Hull City (home) Our rating: 6/10 Hull City / Umbro 2016/17 Premier League kits Leicester City (home) Our rating: 6/10 Leicester City / Puma 2016/17 Premier League kits Liverpool (home) Our rating: 9/10 Liverpool / New Balance 2016/17 Premier League kits Manchester City (home) Our rating: 3/10 Manchester City / Nike 2016/17 Premier League kits Manchester United (home) Our rating: 7/10 Manchester United / Adidas 2016/17 Premier League kits Middlesbrough (home) Our rating: 5/10 Middlesbrough / Adidas 2016/17 Premier League kits Southampton (home, goalkeepers) Our rating: 5/10 Southampton / Under Armour 2016/17 Premier League kits Stoke City (home) Our rating: 5/10 Stoke City / Macron 2016/17 Premier League kits Sunderland (home) Our rating: 5/10 Sunderland / Adidas 2016/17 Premier League kits Swansea (home, away) Our rating: 7/10 Swansea City / Joma 2016/17 Premier League kits Tottenham Hotspur (home, goalkeeper) Our rating: 7/10 Tottenham Hotspur / Under Armour 2016/17 Premier League kits Watford (home, away, goalkeeper) Our rating: 5/10 Watford / Dryworld 2016/17 Premier League kits West Bromwich Albion (home, goalkeeper) Our rating: 7/10 West Bromwich Albion / Adidas 2016/17 Premier League kits West Ham United (home) Our rating: 7/10 West Ham United / Umbro

With Chelsea about to sign Tiemoue Bakayoko from Monaco, another defensive midfielder, Chalobah is unlikely to play much more next season than he did in the last one. Conte likes him and wants to keep him, but if Chalobah does not want to sign a new deal then he will be sold. £5m is likely to be enough for his signature.

Chalobah enjoyed the best season of his career playing for Gianfranco Zola’s Watford in the Championship in the 2012-13 season.

Now Watford want to bring him back as part of a summer of signing new young players.

After the arrival of Marco Silva as new manager, Watford have already spent £8m on Will Hughes from Derby County.