The impressive XI of players out on loan from Chelsea

Chelsea have become known in recent years for sending players out on loan all over Europe. There are currently 40 players away from Stamford Bridge, ranging from players who have come through Chelsea’s academy, and big money signings.

It has become a theme in recent years for Chelsea to have more players out on loan than they have in their first team squad. It has been a system that Chelsea have used consistently in recent years, with youth players going out to gain experience. However, it has also seen players sent out for the season, only to be sold in the summer for a profit.

Of the players who have been out on loan, Romelu Lukaku, Mohamed Salah and Kevin de Bruyne have all gone on to be top players, but not at Chelsea. One of the few players we have seen success after returning to Stamford Bridge was Victor Moses, who after a few spells away, became a key player under Antonio Conte.

One test of the system will be the future of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who spent last season on loan at Crystal Palace, before impressing for England at the World Cup. He has returned to Chelsea this year, but is yet to make a real impact.

Here is an XI made up of players out on loan from Chelsea this season.

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Jamal Blackman (Leeds United)

Blackman spent last season with Sheffield United

Chelsea currently have four goalkeepers away from the club on loan. 35-year-old Eduardo is away at Vitesse on loan, Bradley Collins is at Burton Albion, while the best performing of the lot so far this season has been Nathan Baxter at Yeovil Town. However, the most talented of the ‘keepers out on loan is Jamal Blackman, who is spending the season with Championship side Leeds United. He has been made to wait for his opportunity with Leeds but made his debut last month in a Carabao Cup game with Bolton Wanderers.

Ola Aina (Torino)

Aina has appeared three times in the Premier League for Chelsea, but it seems that his best chance of impressing is away from Stamford Bridge this season. Having spent last season with Hull City, Aina has moved to Italy this summer to spend the season with Serie A side Torino. He will have to work hard for game time this season, but has already made three league appearances, and will hope to build on that.

Kurt Zouma (Everton)

Zouma will hope to make an impression on loan at Goodison Park

Of all the players away from Chelsea on loan this season, few have as good a chance of returning to the Blues’ first team as Zouma. The Frenchman made a real impression during the 2015/16 season and looked like he could be the long-term replacement for John Terry. However, he suffered a serious knee injury against Manchester United and has struggled to return to top form since. He was loaned to Stoke City last season, before completing a move to Everton on deadline day this summer.

Tomas Kalas (Bristol City)

Kalas is a man used to spending time away from Chelsea on loan, as his current spell at Bristol City is the ninth loan move he has had away from Stamford Bridge. He has been a Chelsea player since 2010, but has only made two Premier League appearances, with one of those coming in the famous win over Liverpool at Anfield in 2014. He has shown in his many loans away from Chelsea that he is a good defender, perhaps though not quite good enough for the Blues.

Baba Rahman (Schalke 04)

Rahman last played for Chelsea in 2016

Some people may be surprised to hear that Rahman is still a Chelsea player. The Ghanaian joined Chelsea in 2015 for an initial £14 million, at the start of Jose Mourinho’s disastrous final season in charge of the club. He didn’t do enough to earn a spot in Antonio Conte’s side and was sent out on loan to Schalke. He is currently beginning his third straight season with the Bundesliga side, and it looks unlikely that we will ever see him in a Chelsea shirt again.

Charly Musonda (Vitesse)

There is no doubting Musonda’s talents, but it has been his attitude that has cost him in his short career so far. He appeared seven times for Chelsea in all competitions in the first half of last season, including netting his first goal for the club against Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup. He signed an 18-month loan deal with Celtic in January, but that was terminated in May because of a lack of appearances. He may still be only 21, but this loan move to Vitesse will be crucial in seeing whether he has a future at Chelsea.

Tiemoue Bakayoko (AC Milan)

Bakayoko failed to settle at Stamford Bridge last season

Last season was a very forgettable one for Bakayoko. He joined Chelsea in a deal worth £40 million, but looked totally out of his depth at Stamford Bridge, and never held down a place in the starting XI. He is now spending this season out on loan at AC Milan, who have paid £4.5 million for his services, and will have the option to make this move permanent at the end of the season for £35 million.

Mason Mount (Derby County)

There is a lot of talk about Mount at the moment, and rightly so. The 19-year-old was excellent on loan at Vitesse last year, scoring 14 goals in 39 games in all competitions. This was enough for him to earn a move to Championship side Derby County this season. He couldn’t be under a better manager to learn his trade from, with former manager Frank Lampard in charge at Pride Park, and Mount has attributes very similar to that of the former Blues midfielder.

Kenedy (Newcastle United)

Kenedy has become a real favourite at Newcastle

Kenedy is another man whose off the field attitude may have cost him at Chelsea in the last couple of years. He was sent home from the club’s pre-season tour of China last summer for comments made on social media, and that was partly the reason for why he didn’t appear in the Premier League for Chelsea. He moved to Newcastle United on loan at January, and after a good six months at St. James’ Park, re-joined the Magpies on a season-long loan for the current campaign.

Michy Batshuayi (Valencia)

Batshuayi has been the near man at Chelsea since his move to the club in 2016. He started just one game in his first season in England but netted the winner against West Brom to win the Premier League title. He scored ten goals in all competitions in the first half of last season, including a last-minute winner away at Atletico Madrid in the Champions League. However, he moved to Borussia Dortmund in January and scored seven goals in ten Bundesliga games before moving to Valencia on loan for this season.

Tammy Abraham (Aston Villa)

There can’t be too many players in this side who were close to being involved in the Chelsea first team this season than Abraham. There are questions about whether the Blues have a good enough striker in the squad this season, with Alvaro Morata struggling, and Olivier Giroud looking like more of an impact player. Abraham though scored only five league goals for Swansea City last season, and that is probably what cost him, and he will now spend this season with Championship club Aston Villa.