Chelsea’s Loan Army has been reorganized for the Youth Revolution. How do young people away from the club see the future?
It’s the nature of the beast, but Chelsea still need the army ready. This question comes up in every club that integrates young people; the new crop must be better than the crop that has broken through to break through. Add to that all the signings and loans from Chelsea’s big-money superstars was the only realistic path for many.
Be careful, they are still part of the youth revolution, they just take on a different aspect. They can impress far from the club, unlike Callum Hudson-Odoi or Fikayo Tomori, and maybe that gives them the chance next year that they need. Staying and fighting for a place can be admirable, but not if it doesn’t lead to a fight. Sometimes a player has to leave to defend their cause. So far, several have pleaded for their inclusion next season.
Those closest to us, that is to say the Premier League, naturally attract the most attention. Ethan Ampadu, after a difficult loan at RB Leipzig (where he surely learned a lot) and hardly played the previous season (partly because of an injury, partly because of Maurizio Sarri) is now finding his marks in the Premier League . It was a curiosity where in the Sheffield United XI he would play and the answer was a bit of all of the above. Most interesting for Chelsea is his use as a starting midfielder, a position Chelsea need and use now and a position where many believe Ampadu could have done a job this season if it weren’t for the loan. not happened as soon as it did.
Elsewhere in the Premier League, Conor Gallagher is hailed by a terrible West Brom side. His double loan last year was a sign of things to come and the Premier League did not turn out to be a step forward for him. The main question is what kind of midfielder he really is, as that apparently changes with every game. So far the only clear aspect is that he’s all in action and if Chelsea lose a few midfielders next year, they stand a chance.
England’s lower divisions also have something to offer Chelsea. In the championship, Marc Guehi is a wall for Swansea. He’s relatively new to the Loan Army (not even a full season yet) but he’s apparently ready to follow in the footsteps of Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham and Reece James as he looks to move from the Championship to the Premier League. Chelsea. He could have his chance given Fikayo Tomori’s lack of play, Antonio Rudiger is exhausted and Thiago Silva may or may not leave at the end of the season.
Ian Maatsen is lower in League One, but he was winning rave reviews among youngsters. With Marcos Alonso and Emerson sure to leave over the next few months, Maatsen could make the leap into Premier League football as Ben Chilwell’s deputy. It might not be ideal for his development, but he will surely have a chance to impress the next preseason despite being currently two full divisions away.
Abroad, Malang Sarr hasn’t played much for Porto due in part to injury and match-ability due to his late arrival, but two of his three starts were in the Champions League against Manchester City and Marseille. He is clearly highly regarded in this setup and he has the huge advantage of being a left-footed central defender. It might seem like a silly reason to include him, but left-handed center-backs are rare and worth their weight in gold if they can perform well. They open up tons of passing angles that most teams aren’t prepared for.
Armando Broja takes the well-trodden path at Vitesse to show his talent. After a few appearances last season, he is now shooting in Eredivisie. Next season may come too soon for him, but he could easily fill a spot vacated by Olivier Giroud next summer.
The loan army used to store and sell when the value was high. For some, it’s still that, but for the majority, it’s really about development again. These six players are not loaned to be sold; they want to gain experience and fight for a place in the next preseason. As it stands, they have excellent luck.
