There are many Chelsea FC players on loan, so here is Part 1 of the Loan Report

Over the course of the next couple of weeks I will be writing my thoughts on Chelsea Football Club’s tactics in the loan market.

The first article of this three part series will focus on the more high profile departures deemed not worthy of a place in the Chelsea first team squad. I will affectionately refer to these players as the ‘Chelsea expendables’ and I will explain why I believe that the Blues insist on loaning these players out, rather than negotiating a permanent transfer.

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Chelsea has built quite the reputation for strategically playing the loan system and this summer has proven no different. When the latest transfer window closed, Chelsea had loaned out in excess of 30 players in total. The vast majority of which are young players that have either been with the club since childhood or have been plucked from football academies from around the world. I will be focussing more on a selection of these youngsters in the second part of this report, but for now I’d like to concentrate on the Chelsea expendables.

Expendable (adjective): not important. Synonyms include: disposable; dispensable; non-essential and replaceable.

Since time began, football clubs have sold players deemed non-essential and disposable. If it is said that a team is only as strong as its weakest player then logic would dictate that you identify the weak link, remove it and upgrade it with a stronger alternative.

Why then does Chelsea insist on loaning out players identified as surplus to requirements, rather than taking a more permanent course of action?

First let me profile my Chelsea expendables and then I will answer that question.