Chelsea are taking the mickey out of a loan system that is a slight on the Premier League's integrity
[article]These Chelsea-players-for-hire are becoming pretty good at making career announcements.
If they don’t do it, Chelsea will do it for them.
Here’s an official club shout from the same day as Tammy Abraham expressed his delight at getting a pay rise, and having to do a year’s work experience in Wales.
Chelsea FC: “Congratulations to @kaseypalmer45 who has also signed a new deal and will continue his development at Huddersfield.”
Ah, good old Huddersfield Town, the first English team to win three successive titles, now a very useful place for a Chelsea lad to “continue his development”.
They are ‘developing’ all over the Premier League. Abraham at Swansea, Kasey Palmer at Huddersfield, Kurt Zouma at Stoke City and Ruben Loftus-Cheek at Crystal Palace.
To be fair to Loftus-Cheek, whose new five-year deal with Chelsea was signed earlier this year, he did not get into any developmental nonsense.
“I had the option of coming to Palace and I thought that it would be great for me. I live not too far away.” Perfect, then.
Chelsea are not just making use of a loan system that is a slight on the competition’s integrity, they are taking the mickey out of it, happily assisted by clubs who know their own place in the Premier League pecking order.
A place where they are grateful to lease footballers not good enough for Chelsea’s first team, happy to either be a finishing school for Chelsea kids or put them in a shop window on a rich club’s behalf.
Swansea, Crystal Palace, Huddersfield and Stoke – and don’t rule out one or two more before the season starts – trumpet these signings as though they have pulled off a coup.
You have not. These are not your players. You have been chosen because you are not any threat, and might be useful.
Assuming these borrowing clubs believe the Blues loanees will make their teams stronger, the Premier League fixture list will be distorted to Chelsea’s benefit.
On at least EIGHT occasions next season, Chelsea will play against a team that the Premier League ‘parent club’ rules will make officially weakened.
They will play against teams that cannot field the line-up it would send out against Chelsea’s title rivals.
The Blues won’t be alone in loaning within the Premier League – with Joe Hart loaned to West Ham, Manchester City can now count on two matches against a club forced to play their second-choice keeper.
But no other club will have a vested interest in, and influence on, as many other sides as Chelsea.
It won’t change. It suits all clubs in the Premier League.
That doesn’t make it right.[/article]
Loans to PL clubs
Kasey Palmer - Huddersfield
Tammy Abraham - Swansea
Ruben Loftus-Cheek - Crystal Palace
Kurt Zouma - Stoke
Izzy Brown - Brighton
Loans to Championship clubs
Ola Aina - Hull
Ike Ugbo - Barnsley
Lucas Piazon - Fulham
