Chelsea is no stranger to loans. The Blues have built up a so-called “loan army” over the years where they send out their young players to help other clubs and most of all, their individual development. However, it’s relatively rare that Marina Granovskaia and Co. reach out to bring players into SW6 on loan. The biggest success story on this front in recent years has been Mateo Kovacic. Kovacic originally joined Chelsea on loan from Real Madrid and he’s been a massive success in the middle of the park with the Blues since joining permanently the following season.
It’s no secret Thomas Tuchel and Granovskaia attempted to dip into the pot of gold that is La Liga once again, this time moving for Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez on loan. The 27-year-old has experienced ups and downs recently in the Spanish capital, but the risk was well worth the reward given his natural talent. Unfortunately for all parties, Chelsea’s Saul experiment has failed miserably and actually been more of a hindrance than a help.
The Spaniard has made just seven appearances for the club since joining in the last few moments of deadline day, August 31. While seven may seem decent for a rotational midfielder at this stage, it’s less than both Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who were seen as outsiders coming into the season. Taking things one step further, Saul hasn’t exactly covered himself with glory when on the pitch either. Both of his Premier League starts lasted just 45 minutes (his third appearance being a two-minute cameo at Newcastle) as he was taken off at halftime due to poor performances. Saul’s two Champions League showings for the Blues came at the back end of blowouts against Juventus and Malmo. His only meaningful minutes came in two lackluster Carabao Cup games. In those seven overall outings, Saul has failed to register a goal contribution.
Most recently, the versatile midfielder was replaced by Thiago Silva at halftime from Vicarage Road. Saul—who played in the Jorginho role during the regista’s absence—largely failed to involve himself in the match. Chelsea was pressed to death as it struggled to play from out the back without a reliable outlet. Saul made less passes than nearly everyone on the pitch and only the wingers, who were on an island, had less touches. Tuchel was forced to move Trevoh Chalobah and Mason Mount into the midfield pivot due to the struggles in the first half.
Injuries have added some unpredictability to the manager’s starting XIs recently, but there is still a strong possibility that Wednesday evening was the last time supporters get to see Saul in a Blues shirt. It’s now December and the Spaniard has yet to put in so much as a mediocre performance with his new club. Time is running out on Saul, despite the fact he’s in London on a one-year deal. Chelsea seldom terminates loan moves early, but it could in this case given how abysmal things have turned out to be for both sides.
If the Blues do opt to send Saul back to Madrid in January, they’ll need a back-up plan. There hasn’t been much talk surrounding incoming transfers, so that makes a dip into the loan army the most likely option. The obvious choices are Conor Gallagher and Billy Gilmour. The former is enjoying a successful stint with Crystal Palace and the latter is finally getting more minutes under new management. Neither player will likely be recalled given their current situations. Tino Anjorin, who Tuchel took a liking to last season upon his arrival, has returned to the club after suffering a fracture in training with Lokomotiv Moscow. He’s expected to be out a number of months before returning to Russia, so there goes another option for the Blues.
Regardless of the situations elsewhere, Ethan Ampadu represented the most likely candidate to be recalled from the start. The Welshman has played well for Venezia during his time in Serie A, getting valuable minutes in midfield for the first time in awhile. Ampadu rose to fame under Antonio Conte at Chelsea in both the midfield and a back three and he knows what it takes to be successful in this system. The unfortunate reality is he returned late last summer from Euro 2020, so Tuchel didn’t get much time with Ampadu to evaluate him. A return to the Blues for the second half of 2020 as a Saul replacement of sorts could give Tuchel some extended time to get to know his young phenom. Ampadu’s game is mature beyond his years and his versatility is similar to that of Chalobah, who Tuchel could be without for an extended period.
Chelsea would benefit greatly from abandoning the Saul experiment in the winter. The Blues have an unreliable player on their hands and they aren’t the team to take on the responsibility of getting other clubs’ players back up to speed. Recalling Ampadu could provide a temporary solution to Chelsea’s injury issues, as well as allow him to further his career by working with Tuchel for the remainder of the season. It’s a win-win.
What would you do with Saul in January? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!