Three big questions: Chelsea’s loan army marches on

Chelsea still has a sizable loan contingent going into the new season. Who is who and what questions need to be asked ahead of the season?

Chelsea’s loan army used to be a club within itself. Following Michael Emenalo’s departure and the rumored introduction of restrictions, the Blues whittled down the size of the loan army. What used to be gargantuan is still larger than most clubs, but it is more manageable and focused now. Plus, with Frank Lampard as manager, there is a genuine pathway into the first team from the loan army. What questions need to be asked of it ahead of the new season?

1. Who is already loaned and worth keeping an eye on?

Chelsea’s been mostly moving players around in the lower levels of English football thus far. That was a change in policy that began a few years ago and it has worked well for the likes of Reece James.

Of course, the club is not loaning a player out this early if they know what they want to do with them. These players wouldn’t have had much of a chance at the club this season so they have been sent out to develop for the most part.

Trevoh Chalobah picked up what is perhaps the highest profile loan with FC Lorient in Ligue 1. This will give him top flight football for the first time in one of Europe’s big five leagues. The defender/sometimes holding midfielder will have his work cut out for him when they play Paris Saint-Germain.

Armando Broja finds himself on a throwback loan to Chelsea’s old loan army hot spot Vitesse. The young striker was given a debut under Frank Lampard last season and he will be looking to follow a similar development pathway as Mason Mount.

Marc Guehi is perhaps the player that stands out the most. Lampard gave him a big match last season against Manchester United and he did well. Given Chelsea’s defensive issues, it felt as though he had a shot to stay with the team. Another full season on the back of his half season last year with Swansea won’t hurt either though.