Despite tapping out, Dominic Solanke still defends Chelsea loan system
Dominic Solanke has come out in defence of Chelsea’s loan system, despite opting to run his contract down due to a lack of first-team football.
Dominic Solanke seems to be the prime example of a talented young Chelsea player being frustrated by the loan system. The forward was loaned to Vitesse a couple of seasons ago and then returned to find no senior squad role for him. He chose to see out the remainder of his contract and move to Liverpool. However, Solanke has now defended the merits of the system.
With the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tammy Abraham making their senior England debuts over the last week, Chelsea’s loan policy is once again under scrutiny. Solanke, though, believes that it does benefit the player.
"It helps you as a young player, going out and seeing a different [type of] football and culture. I think that can only help playing men’s football when you are young. I think that helped me. – via Evening Standard"
His comments raise the debate of who the loan system should be benefitting. Solanke claims that playing at Vitesse helped him develop and that is probably true. However, he then took his talents to Merseyside. Chelsea did not reap the rewards of his foreign football experience.
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In this sense, the loan system can be great for the best youngsters. Getting senior football at a young age is the best way to grow as a player and fulfill potential. Chelsea, though, seldom bring the ripe talent into their senior squad. Instead, they are sent on more loans that only see their potential wane and wane.
Solanke was a smart man and got out at the right time. While he is not starting at Liverpool, he will definitely get more opportunities under Jurgen Klopp than he would in West London. Loftus-Cheek and Abraham, meanwhile, may be stuck in an endless loan cycle before eventually being sold.
The loan system may have benefited Solanke personally, but his defence does not support it from the view of Chelsea fans. It’s great that the forward was able to develop while on the Blues’ books, but he then jumped ship. The club did not actually gain any value.
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What do you think? Leave us all your thoughts on the Chelsea’s loan system and Solanke’s remarks in the comments below!