The Chelsea Loan Theory

Young Chelsea players get sent on a lot of loan moves, but does it helper hinder them?

Arguably, Chelsea’s most recent loan success is that of Mason Mount. The Portsmouth born attacking midfielder first joined Chelsea’s academy when he was six years old, in 2005. Chelsea’s relationship with Vitesse Arnhem is often mocked and called a ‘loan army’, with 23 players going to the club since 2010, however it could be argued that it was the making of Chelsea’s midfielder. In the 2017/18 season Mount got 23 g/a in 39 games. He also recorded 5 goals and 1 assist in the Europa League Play-Offs, averaging a goal involvement every 44.5 minutes. In this season he also became the third Chelsea player to pick up the Vitesse Player of the Year, not bad for someone aged just 19 going into his first season of adult football. The following season, Mount was sent on loan to play for future Chelsea manager Frank Lampard at Derby County in the Championship. This was an obvious step up for Mount which would see him play in a much different league, with a much higher intensity. He went from strength to strength, making 45 appearances for the club and contributed 17 g/a, making 34 appearances at the number 10 position and 9 from central midfield. Mount missed out on the fan’s player of the season to Fikayo Tomori, another Chelsea loanee. Derby finished the season in 6th place, which saw them progress to the Championship play offs. Mount’s second leg goal in the semi-finals saw them progress past Leeds and into the final. Derby lost in the final against Aston Villa, who had Tammy Abraham on loan, but it would be a negative ending to a positive season as the Cobham graduate’s performances saw them earn a spot in Chelsea’s first team, managed by Frank Lampard. Mason Mount is an exquisite example of Chelsea’s youth system and how brilliant it can be. I think his loan move to Vitesse helped him mature as he had to move to a new country and leave his parents, which is a massive feat when you’re just 18 years old. In Mount’s circumstance the Chelsea loan theory has worked extremely well and helped him become the star he is today.

Someone who’s entire career has been entirely stagnated by the Chelsea loan system is Marco van Ginkel. Chelsea signed van Ginkel from Vitesse Arnhem in 2013, for a fee around the £8 million mark. Since then, the Dutch midfielder has failed to impress in South London. Van Ginkel’s career at Chelsea seemed to be getting off to a promising start as he made his competitive debut in the Premier League, coming on as a substitute against Hull City. He then played his first Champions League game against Basel on September 18th. Unfortunately for the promising midfielder, he suffered an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament against Swindon in the League Cup. He returned to competitive football seven months later in an under-21s’ match away to Manchester United on March 21st. van Ginkel’s ACL injury saw him suffer from a long line of injuries. At the beginning of the 2014 season, he was sent on loan to AC Milan, and given the famous 21 shirt, only for him to be stretchered off the pitch after 34 minutes due to an ankle injury. After being left for two months after his injury, an unjust amount of time which caused his agent to speak out against Milan, he made his return to football in a 2-0 win against Udinese. Things then went from bad to worse for the Dutch midfielder as a hard challenge from Sulley Muntari saw him pick up another ankle injury which side lined him for 2 months. His injury saw him make a return to football in January of 2015 and things slowly started to look up for him as, from April 4th, he played every minute for AC Milan, including a goal in a 2-1 win against Roma. This spell at Milan saw him earn a move to Stoke, which couldn’t have gone much worse. After starting the first six games of the season, he saw his place get stolen by Ibrahim Afellay. Van Ginkel’s loan was then cancelled on February 1 after Stoke signed Gianelli Imbula. After he returned to Chelsea, he was then sent out on loan to PSV where he has been continuously sent. He has won the Eredivisie title with PSV twice, in 2016 and 2018. Van Ginkel’s consistent struggles with injury have really not haltered his progression and career at Chelsea. When he joined, he was an exciting prospect, fresh out of the Eredivisie, yet he’s failed to find a club who wants him enough to keep him around permanently. I believe the loan system had the opportunity to really help him find his form once again but after being constantly pegged back by injuries, he has struggled to feel at home at any club. In the case of Marco van Ginkel, I believe the Chelsea loan theory has hindered his development.

"We aren't happy about that is clear. It [leaving Van Ginkel out] went against all logic. Marco didn't have to go to Italy, if he wasn't going to be used anyway. Milan agreed with that. A fit and in-form Van Ginkel plays his way into Milan's starting XI." - Marco van Ginkel's agent on him being continuously left out of the AC Milan squad

The case of Ethan Ampadu is an intriguing one as he is currently bouncing from club to club on loan, hoping to eventually be used as part of the Chelsea first team, which many fans predict will happen next season. A product of the Exeter City youth academy, Ampadu signed for Chelsea in 2017. Ampadu made his debut for Chelsea on September 20th in the third round of the EFL Cup against Nottingham Forest, coming on in the 55th minute for Cesc Fabregas; Ampadu became the first player to play for the senior team born in the 2000s. Aged 17 years and six days, he also became the youngest player to make their debut in over ten years. He made his Premier League debut in December, coming off the bench in the 80th minute against Huddersfield. Frank Lampard getting a hold of the reigns saw Ampadu sent out on loan in order for him to get consistent first team football. He was sent to the Bundesliga to play for RB Leipzig. The Welsh player didn’t get quite get the minutes he was hoping for but when he played, boy did he impress; Ampadu’s most notable performance was in the Champions League against Spurs. At just 19 years old, he put in a man of the match performance after having 109 touches of the ball, 95% passing accuracy, 5 interceptions and a clean sheet. Many thought that this sort of performance would see him earn a spot in the Chelsea team the following season, but fans would be disappointed. However, they would be able to watch him in the Premier League as he has been sent on loan to Sheffield United for the duration of the 2020/21 season. Whilst they haven’t got off to a good start this season, Ampadu has been getting vital game time and Premier League experience which will see him develop at a rapid rate. I believe the loan system has helped Ampadu to develop and his loans have seen him be sent to quality sides that should help him develop into the defender / holding midfielder that Lampard sees him as.

Whilst Chelsea are notorious for sending young players out on loan without giving them an opportunity in the first team, it has helped to produce great results. The current first team is filled with Cobham graduates like Mason Mount, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori, Reece James and others. However, the ruthlessness of the Chelsea academy experience can often see players cast aside which can halter their development and on the rare occasion does it miss out on special talent who end up becoming world beaters, the prime examples being Kevin de Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku. Whilst mistakes have been made, Chelsea have been very good at deciding whether to let go of youth players or allow them to develop on loan. A prime comparison to make would be between Mason Mount and Jack Cork. Chelsea saw Mount as a player who had the potential to develop into a star, whilst Jack Cork was allowed to leave the club permanently and has since not gone on to prove Chelsea wrong. What are your thoughts? Let me know.