Chelsea FC: Papy Djilobodji On Loan To Werder Bremen

Chelsea FC has sent defender Papy Djilobodji on loan to Werder Bremen

There are finally signs of life from Chelsea FC as the club made their first move of the transfer period by sending Papy Djilobodji out on loan. The Senegalese defender joins Bundesliga club Werder Bremen until the end of the season and perhaps even beyond that.

This was a strange signing from the beginning. Djilobodji is 27-years-old, older than the usual transfer target for the Blues these days unless you’re an international superstar, and he did not seem to be all that good. He was reportedly turned down by Sunderland and Aston Villa, two clubs that are propping up the Premier League table at moment, and has not caught a glimpse of the pitch in a Chelsea FC shirt.

He came one briefly against Walsall but was not seen as good enough to play against lower league opposition in the FA Cup. In fact he is often a longshot to even make the bench. Still, Werder Bremen must have seen something in him from his days at FC Nantes and are taking him on for the rest of the season.

Here is the official statement from ChelseaFC.com:

"Papy Djilobodji has today (Thursday) joined Werder Bremen on loan until the end of the season. The defender, who arrived last summer from French club Nantes, will spend the remainder of the campaign with the Bundesliga club. Djilobodji made his debut for the Blues as a substitute in our League Cup victory against Walsall in September."

This transfer, among several other things, are indicative of the poor state of the club. Jose Mourinho reportedly wanted players like Paul Pogba, John Stones, and Raphael Varane but the club gave him Pedro and Papy Djilobodji. It is no fault of players like Papy and fellow deadline day transfer Michael Hector, but it is obvious that there was a clear disconnect between manager and board. That disconnect, along with poor play on the pitch, is ultimately what cost Mourinho his job and has found Chelsea FC near the bottom of the Premier League table.

The unfortunate aspect of this loan deal is that the supporters do not get to see if Djilobodji could actually be any good. He was not given a chance to prove himself, other than training of course, and so we have no idea if he could contribute to the club. The Blues also lose out on some depth in the event of an injury or suspension but there are probably some youth players who could fill that void.

While his time at Chelsea FC was short-lived, Papy Djilobodji became something of a cult hero among the fans. He represented all that was wrong with the club but in some strange way he was also an endearing figure. The supporters wanted to see more of him but alas that does not seem to be in the cards. Farewell Papy, we hardly knew ye!