Chelsea: Everything that needs doing before the window closes

2. Should they stay or should they loan?

Somewhat tied to the depth and quality of the squad is a list of players that could stay, but they need to decide if that is the best way forward for their careers. Many are at an age where they can’t afford to fight for minutes against senior players and they need those minutes to develop.

Chief among these has to be Callum Hudson-Odoi. Though he plays semi-frequently, he almost exclusively plays as a wingback now and he does not play nearly enough given his alleged talent. This has been the case for a few years now and at some point, it might be worth biting the bullet and taking the loan. It’s very similar to the situation Ruben Loftus-Cheek found himself in for many years and just one year on loan at Crystal Palace changed everything for him.

In the past week, both Atalanta and Dortmund have been linked to Hudson-Odoi on loan. Both would be great landing spots for him whether they play him as a wingback or as his more natural attacking roles. Again, more important than anything is he plays frequently and that just doesn’t seem to be happening at Chelsea. He’s arguably the third choice right wingback and the seventh attacking option for three spots. His minutes will be far too few and he will stagnate without a loan. The concern, however, will be if he comes back once he tastes the grass on the other side.

Chalobah might end up in a similar situation with Kounde’s (probable) signing. Though he has shown his talent in the back three and midfield now, Kounde would surely play over Chalobah. The academy graduate would have to find minutes in other positions and that may not make life easier for him. He’s had a few years on loan so his situation is less desperate than Hudson-Odoi’s, but it isn’t going to be great to convince him to stay only to barely play him.

Then there is the case of Ethan Ampadu and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, both of whom seem to be kept around at the moment for depth. The issue for both is that they would be so far down the depth chart that staying at Chelsea would be a hinderance. Two years of poor loans has set Ampadu back and he needs to find his feet again. Loftus-Cheek likely needs one more year of building fitness to be anywhere close to what he used to be. Keeping them around, even for depth, does them a disserve but no loans have materialized in the rumor mill for either.

Finally, don’t forget young Tino Anjorin who finds himself suddenly alone in the academy. He was arguably ready for a loan last year, injury issues aside, but he desperately needs one the more time goes on. Ralf Rangnick’s (as the sporting director, not manager) Lokomotiv Moscow has been considering him, either on loan or permanently, but nothing has happened yet.