Nathaniel Chalobah seals permanent return to Watford from Chelsea

Nathaniel Chalobah, who boasts almost as many international appearances as club appearances, is back at Vicarage Road.

On Thursday, Chalobah secured a permanent return to Watford from Chelsea, as the powerful midfielder, who represented England at the UEFA Under-21 Championship, signed a five-year deal with the Hornets.

Chalobah, who turned 22 years old in December, holds 97 appearances to his name when it comes to England's youth teams, first pulling on the Three Lions' shirt at the age of 13. The youngster was at the heart of the national team's run to the semi-finals of the UEFA Under-21 Championship. After he fell victim to a groin injury sustained earlier in the tournament, England, in typical fashion, lost to Germany in a penalty shootout.

At the club level, it's been a very different story for Chalobah. A product of Chelsea's academy who joined the Blues at 10 years old, he started only one game and played just 159 minutes as they won the Premier League last season. That one start, coincidentally, came in their 4-3 victory over Watford. Minutes remain a problem.

But a return to Vicarage Road could be exactly what Chalobah needs. Among his six loan spells from his time at Chelsea was a stint at Watford, where he burst onto the English football scene as an 18-year-old in 2012-13, scoring five goals during 42 appearances.