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Chelsea loanee (insert name here) does not want another loan

By Travis Tyler

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: A general view of a corner flag inside the stadium prior to during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on March 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 13: A general view of a corner flag inside the stadium prior to during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter-Final match between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on March 13, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images) /
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Some in Chelsea’s loan army have grown tired of their wandering ways. They want insurances at Chelsea or they will go elsewhere for them.

Pick nearly any player from the loan army who has been out for a few years or is on the older side and the same story will appear. They want first team football. If Chelsea will offer that, great, they will stay. If Chelsea will not, they will look for a new team that will give them minutes.

This has gone on summer after summer. Part of it is due to the army being so big and players being in it for so long. They get burnt out of the game of chance they play every summer. Nathaniel Chalobah, Nathan Ake, and Bertrand Traore all did last summer. More seem set to follow this summer.

This is of course, understandable. Players need to look out for their careers. If they have not made it at Chelsea by 23, their best bet is to look elsewhere. But some are stubborn and think they are due a chance. Others probably are due their chance but the timing is not right.

Take Jeremie Boga for example. Last season, he was given first team opportunities by Antonio Conte after a great preseason. Then, suddenly, he was loaned off. But not to the Premier League where he had started, but the Championship.

On paper, he should have blown that loan away. He did not despite doing admirably. Now he has told Chelsea that he will go to a new club rather than go on loan again.

The Fulham boys are in the same boat, especially if they get promoted again. Tomas Kalas and Lucas Piazon have practically been Fulham players for years. They might still hold hopes for Chelsea, but realistically that can is just being kicked down the road. Same for Marco van Ginkel and PSV.

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More higher profile are Kurt Zouma and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Both have done well in the Premier League this season with difficult situations. Zouma wants to come back as a go to player, something that will be incredibly difficult to give him considering the depth at center back.

But Loftus-Cheek has a legitimate argument for playing time compared to the rest of the loan army. If not for him, Crystal Palace could have gone down. And he has earned himself a World Cup callup. Even more interestingly, it would not be overly surprising to see him start or at least be a super sub.

If he has a good World Cup, Chelsea will have no argument not to give him first team minutes. He should have gone on loan years ago to expedite this process but he will not go on any more. It is now or never for Loftus-Cheek, as it is for many of the loanees.

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Chelsea must be careful in who they decide to cut and who they decide to integrate. The army needs a trimming, that is known. But trimming the right players and keeping the right ones will be crucial for Chelsea next season.

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