Nathaniel Chalobah insists he had to leave Chelsea in order to finally earn his first senior call-up for England

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Nathaniel Chalobah believes his first senior England call-up has vindicated the decision to leave Chelsea this summer.

The midfielder, born in Sierra Leone, is set to make his international debut in the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovakia.

It's been a long road to the senior team for Chalobah, who moved to London at the age of seven and only played football for the first time aged nine.

Nathaniel Chalobah is expected to make his senior debut for England this week

Chalobah had been at Chelsea since 2005 after he joined the club's academy

The midfielder believes leaving the Blues has helped earn him his first senior call-up

The midfielder has played 98 times for England's youth teams, many of those under current senior boss Gareth Southgate at Under 21 level. 

Chalobah's younger brother Trevoh, a centre half, has also been capped by England up to U19 level and is still at Chelsea's academy.

First-team appearances at Chelsea were limited due to the club's big-spending policy with the 22-year-old making just one Premier League start during his time at Stamford Bridge — and that came after the title had been won last season. 

He has played 98 times for England's youth teams, many of those under Gareth Southgate

Despite success on the international stage he didn't have much joy at Stamford Bridge

With England he has won trophies and had experience of captaining multiple squads

But his decision to leave the champions for a move to Watford over the summer still came as a surprise. However, Chalobah, who did not train on Tuesday but is expected to be fit for Friday, insists he was right to move away.

'I guess the fact I'm sitting here justifies the decision, that was the aim really, to leave and try and get game time somewhere else, and I am just very pleased and happy that things are going well,' he said.

'It takes a lot (to leave a club like Chelsea), you have to really look deep into yourself and see what makes you happy. For me, I was at a top club and people were saying to me you are at Chelsea, you should stay, a big club, but for me that was not the problem.

The 22-year-old moved from Chelsea to Watford earlier this summer

'The problem was I wanted to play, after getting a taste of it last year, I needed to go out and try and do better things for myself.

'So yes, I think you really have to be brave, and sometimes decisions can be hard, especially when it is your future, and you have to make those decisions yourself, but you have got people around you who can help.'