Chelsea extensive loan round-up as club set for transfer windfall despite Lewis Hall issue
Chelsea have almost a 20-man squad of players out on loan at the moment. As always is the case with the Blues, they like to utilise the loan system to their advantage, whether that is to simply give younger players experience or to work in their favour for upcoming transfer markets.
This season is no different. Chelsea currently have 17 players still contracted at Stamford Bridge but playing their football elsewhere until the end of the season. With that said, let takes a look at how each of them are getting on in a comprehensive loan round-up.
Lucas Bergstrom
The 21-year-old goalkeeper was not getting a sniff in west London despite being involved in plenty of first-team squads. Bergstrom decided to move to Swedish club Brommapojkarna in the January transfer window but has featured just once since his move.
That single appearance was in the Svenska Cupen, the Swedish cup, where they lost to Halmstad in the quarter-final after a 112th-minute goal after extra-time. However, Filip Sidklev has been the club’s go-to goalkeeper since Bergstrom’s move.
Armando Broja
The 22-year-old striker was allowed to go out on loan in the January transfer window, while Chelsea were willing to allow the Cobham graduate to leave on a permanent basis for the right fee. There were plenty of interested parties in Broja but given the quiet nature of the January window, no club were willing to pay the fee the Blues were demanding.
Since moving just across west London to Fulham, the Albania international is yet to make a start under Marco Silva. He has four appearances to his name in the Premier League for the Cottagers, with a combined total of 47 minutes on the pitch. Due to the form of teammate Rodrigo Muniz in recent weeks, it has been virtually impossible for Broja to get a sniff at Craven Cottage.
Andrey Santos
Santos spent the first half of the season on loan at Nottingham Forest but only managed to record two appearances during his short stint at the City Ground. Chelsea were concerned about the 19-year-old midfielder’s lack of progress and development in Nottingham and decided to bring him back to Cobham in January to assess his options.
Chelsea’s multi-club model, that sees Todd Boehly also possess a majority stake in French outfit Strasbourg, was viewed as the right option to continue Santos’ development. Since moving to the east of France, the Brazil Under-23s international has played three times – with his only start under Patrick Vieira coming in the 3-1 win against Nantes prior to the international break, where the midfielder completed the full 90 minutes.
Lewis Hall
Newcastle United signed Hall last summer on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy for £28million (with possibly over £5million in add-ons later down the line) at the end of his temporary contract. There has been speculation that the obligation is dependant on how many appearances the Cobham graduate makes on Tyneside.
The 19-year-old has featured just 12 times for the Magpies in all competitions this season, with only four of them coming from the start. It has not been an ideal situation for Hall, especially given the amount of injuries Eddie Howe has had to contend with this term at St. James’ Park.
Charlie Webster
The 20-year-old has made just one start for the Heerenveen senior side since moving to the Netherlands on loan. Webster has made a few appearances for their Under-21s side but his minutes in the senior setup have been severely restricted.
In Webster’s only start for De Superfriezen, he scored but was later sent off in the 3-2 defeat to Go Ahead Eagles all the way back in September. Since then, it has been difficult for Webster to convince manager Kees van Wonderen that he is worthy of starting in his side. Hence no starts since.
Tino Anjorin
It has been another tricky loan spell for the 22-year-old, who sees his contract at Chelsea expire in just over 12 months. Anjorin has made a total of nine appearances for Portsmouth in all competitions but just five of them have come from the start.
Gabriel Slonina
The 19-year-old goalkeeper, who remains very highly rated by those at Chelsea, has spent the season on loan with struggling Belgian side KAS Eupen. Slonina has been Eupen’s first-choice shot-stopper this term but it has been tricky for the American with the side conceding plenty of goals.
Eupen sit 14th in the table and are in huge danger of being relegated to the second-tier. Slonina was initially called up to the USMNT Under-23s but has been recalled by the Belgian club due to an injury concern.
Hakim Ziyech
Ziyech is someone Chelsea will be trying to offload for good when the summer transfer window rolls around. The Morocco international is currently on loan at Galatasaray, where he has featured 16 times in all competitions this term.
The Blues view the 31-year-old as expendable. Although in recent windows they have found the winger, who has just over 12 months remaining on his deal at Stamford Bridge, difficult to offload permanently because of his high wage demands.
Mason Burstow
Burstow is on loan at Championship side Sunderland and has made 20 appearances for the Black Cats. Twelve of them have come from the start but he has managed to score just the one goal, while also assisting one.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
The 29-year-old goalkeeper seems to have no future at Stamford Bridge following the form of Djordje Petrovic and a more than adequate back-up option in Robert Sanchez. Kepa is approaching the last year of his contract at Chelsea and the club will look to sell him in the summer.
His loan spell with Real Madrid started with him playing a number of games following the serious injury to Thibaut Courtois. Kepa, though, then got injured himself and ever since, Andriy Lunin has kept him out of the team.
David Datro Fofana
Joining Burnley in January, Fofana has impressed during his short time at Turf Moor. The 21-year-old striker has netted four times in eight Premier League matches since joining the struggling Clarets.
The Ivorian has established himself, very swiftly, as one of Vincent Kompany’s most important and trusted players. It will be interesting to see what the plan is with Fofana when he returns to Cobham in the summer given Chelsea’s lack of fire power in the No.9 position, with Nicolas Jackson being the only real option for the majority of the season.
Bashir Humphreys
After a really impressive time out in the United States during Chelsea’s pre-season tour, Humphreys was rewarded with a new contract as he agreed to join Swansea City on loan. The 20-year-old defender has featured 25 times in total for the Swans this term, although he has not been involved in a match day squad for the last three matches.
Angelo Gabriel
Angelo has impressed while on loan to BlueCo’s Strasbourg this season. The teenage Brazilian talent has featured 25 times for the French club this season, assisting four times, although he is yet to score. But he has impressed with his trickery, directness and eye for a pass.
Harvey Vale
A really promising loan spell for Vale at Bristol Rovers. The 20-year-old has established himself as a real fan favourite down in Bristol, playing in a multitude of positions under three different managers this season, and racking up 41 appearances in all competitions for Rovers.
Ian Maatsen
Many Chelsea supporters were frustrated and confused when the club allowed Maatsen to join Borussia Dortmund in January. And his form for the German club will only have ramped those feelings up.
The 22-year-old signed a contract extension at Chelsea upon his loan move to the Black and Yellow, although there is a feeling that was more to protect his value than anything else. The club will likely look to sell Maatsen again when the summer transfer window opens as they look to fall in line with the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Omari Hutchinson
Hutchinson has been brilliant for Championship high-fliers Ipswich Town this season on loan. The talented Jamaica international has accumulated 42 appearances for the Tractor Boys in all competitions and has scored eight goals and provided six assists along the way. Some of those goals have been huge for Ipswich in their promotion push.
Hutchinson’s entourage are very confident the winger will have talks with Chelsea over extending his contract at Stamford Bridge. His deal is due to expire in just over 12 months’ time but there is a feeling amongst those close to the winger that he will remain a Chelsea player for the foreseeable future.
Romelu Lukaku
A man who seemingly has no future at Stamford Bridge. Lukaku has enjoyed a very good season for AS Roma, where he has bagged 18 goals in all competitions.
However, in the summer, Chelsea will once again look to sell Lukaku. The Blues will get nowhere near the £97.5million they paid for him back in 2021 but will be hoping to get a decent fee for the striker, despite him turning 31 in less than two months.
