There is an awkward relationship between Chelsea’s transfer-market travails this summer and the 38 players they have out on loan.

The Blues have long been pioneers regarding the temporary export of talent. Last season, they caused outrage by loaning out 33 players but they have surpassed that figure despite Antonio Conte looking to bolster a squad in need of surgery following their 10th-place finish in the Premier League.

Conte’s search for a centre-back took him to a plethora of countries before Marcos Alonso arrived from Fiorentina for £24million and Chelsea eventually plumped for David Luiz, deemed surplus to requirements just two years earlier, for £34m.

Signing Luiz made a degree of financial sense, given the Blues paid around £16 less than they sold him to Paris St Germain for in 2014, but the identity of their major deadline-day purchase only underlined the level of desperation they had reached.

There is no indication that any of Chelsea’s loanees were seriously considered. Eleven are defenders. If indeed Conte wishes to switch to a 3-5-2 system — as his past form would indicate — let’s just focus on the eight centre-backs from that 11.

Matt Miazga is 21 years old and joined the club in January for £3.5m. He made two appearances and was loaned to Vitesse Arnhem. Tomas Kalas has played at centre-back and right-back, having been signed in 2010 for £5.2m. He has played twice in the League for Chelsea and has just begun the seventh loan of his career, at Fulham.

Michael Hector joined Reading in 2009 but was loaned to 11 clubs before Chelsea signed him in 2015. He was loaned back to Reading and then sent to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Miazga could just be the victim of a change of manager but Kalas and Hector, at 23 and 24, are not at an age where loans will significantly benefit their development. If not good enough for Chelsea, they should be let go permanently.

Lucas Piazon, another of Chelsea’s loan army, voiced his discontent at the situation after beginning his fifth spell away from Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea's frustrating search for defensive reinforcements 15 show all Chelsea's frustrating search for defensive reinforcements 1/15 Antonio Conte's frustrating search for defensive reinforcements... Getty Images 2/15 Leonardo Bonucci Antonio Conte earmarked Bonucci as one of his top transfer targets earlier in the summer after working alongside the 28-year-old while with Juventus and the Italian national side.



The defender initially hinted that he was considering his future, but committed to a new five-year deal with Juve in July to end Chelsea's pursuit. VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images 3/15 John Stones Everton rejected four Chelsea offers for John Stones last summer and the Blues intended to reignite thier interest in a bid to finally tempt him away from Goodison Park.



But Antonio Conte was reluctant to match Manchester City's offer and the England international joined Pep Guardiola's side for a record fee in the region of £50million in August. 4/15 Kostas Manolas Chelsea made a fresh enquiry for Kostas Manolas earlier in the summer as a cheaper alternative to John Stones and a long-term replacement for captain John Terry.



Roma coach Luciano Spalletti last month warned the 25-year-old is not for sale and reports later claimed Barcelona had secured the first option to sign Manolas as part of the deal which saw Thomas Vermaelen move to Serie A. Paolo Bruno/Getty Images 5/15 Marquinhos Chelsea held talks with Paris St Germain over Brazil defender Marquinhos earlier in the summer.



The 22-year-old was also on Jose Mourinho's Chelsea wishlist last summer, but he signed a new long-term deal in Paris last year and the Blues didn't take their interest beyond initial discussions. 6/15 Jose Gimenez Atletico Madrid's Gimenez was a a target for Chelsea last summer when it is understood he was actually wanted ahead of John Stones, who was the subject of four Chelsea bids.



The Blues again earmarked Gimenez as a target earlier this year, but didn't act on their interest. CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP/Getty Images 7/15 Kalidou Koulibaly The defender emerged as Chelsea's top target as others fell away, but Napoli attempted to keep Koulibaly with a new contract offer which included the verbal agreement to sell in 12 months. It remains unsigned.



Koulibaly was keen on a move to Stamford Bridge, but the Serie A club proved tough negotiators. (Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) 8/15 Victor Lindelof Lindelof was lined up as a back-up option to strengthen central defence.



Their hope of signing the Sweden international was complicated by the fact they were unwilling to meet the £25m release clause in his contract. FRANCISCO LEONG/AFP/Getty Images 9/15 Alessio Romagnoli Chelsea also turned to AC Milan's Romagnoli as an alternative to Koulibaly.



But Antonio Conte was again dealt another blow as Milan rejected a £30million Chelsea bid before drawing up a new deal for the 21-year-old to as they stepped up their efforts to knock away interest. (Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) 10/15 Nikola Maksimovic Napoli were in talks with Torino over Nikola Maksimovic since the start of the year, but he had also drawn interest from Chelsea.



However, the 24-year-old secured a loan move to Napoli last month. Getty Images 11/15 Stefan de Vrij The Blues added Lazio defender Stefan de Vrij to their list and made an offer in excess of £21m. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images 12/15 Angelo Ogbonna Antonio Conte added Angelo Ogbonna to his wish-list hours before the transfer deadline but West Ham were reluctant to lose a second centre-back this summer. Slaven Bilic had already sanctioned the departure of James Tomkins earlier in the window. (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images) 13/15 David Luiz In a stunning turn of events Chelsea offered PSG £32m for their former centre-back, who Jose Mourinho disposed of in 2014. The initial bid was rejected by the French champions, but an improved offer of £34m did the trick on deadline day. Paul Gilham/Getty Images 14/15 Marcos Alonso Chelsea also strengthened at full-back, with Fiorentina's Marcos Alonson arriving for £25million from Fiorentina on deadline day. Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images 15/15 Virgil van Dijk Southampton star Virgil van Dijk is also on Conte's wishlist, but the Blues will face competition from Manchester United, Everton and Liverpool. Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images 1/15 Antonio Conte's frustrating search for defensive reinforcements... Getty Images 2/15 Leonardo Bonucci Antonio Conte earmarked Bonucci as one of his top transfer targets earlier in the summer after working alongside the 28-year-old while with Juventus and the Italian national side.



The defender initially hinted that he was considering his future, but committed to a new five-year deal with Juve in July to end Chelsea's pursuit. VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images 3/15 John Stones Everton rejected four Chelsea offers for John Stones last summer and the Blues intended to reignite thier interest in a bid to finally tempt him away from Goodison Park.



But Antonio Conte was reluctant to match Manchester City's offer and the England international joined Pep Guardiola's side for a record fee in the region of £50million in August. 4/15 Kostas Manolas Chelsea made a fresh enquiry for Kostas Manolas earlier in the summer as a cheaper alternative to John Stones and a long-term replacement for captain John Terry.



Roma coach Luciano Spalletti last month warned the 25-year-old is not for sale and reports later claimed Barcelona had secured the first option to sign Manolas as part of the deal which saw Thomas Vermaelen move to Serie A. Paolo Bruno/Getty Images 5/15 Marquinhos Chelsea held talks with Paris St Germain over Brazil defender Marquinhos earlier in the summer.



The 22-year-old was also on Jose Mourinho's Chelsea wishlist last summer, but he signed a new long-term deal in Paris last year and the Blues didn't take their interest beyond initial discussions. 6/15 Jose Gimenez Atletico Madrid's Gimenez was a a target for Chelsea last summer when it is understood he was actually wanted ahead of John Stones, who was the subject of four Chelsea bids.



The Blues again earmarked Gimenez as a target earlier this year, but didn't act on their interest. CRISTINA QUICLER/AFP/Getty Images 7/15 Kalidou Koulibaly The defender emerged as Chelsea's top target as others fell away, but Napoli attempted to keep Koulibaly with a new contract offer which included the verbal agreement to sell in 12 months. It remains unsigned.



Koulibaly was keen on a move to Stamford Bridge, but the Serie A club proved tough negotiators. (Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images) 8/15 Victor Lindelof Lindelof was lined up as a back-up option to strengthen central defence.



Their hope of signing the Sweden international was complicated by the fact they were unwilling to meet the £25m release clause in his contract. FRANCISCO LEONG/AFP/Getty Images 9/15 Alessio Romagnoli Chelsea also turned to AC Milan's Romagnoli as an alternative to Koulibaly.



But Antonio Conte was again dealt another blow as Milan rejected a £30million Chelsea bid before drawing up a new deal for the 21-year-old to as they stepped up their efforts to knock away interest. (Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) 10/15 Nikola Maksimovic Napoli were in talks with Torino over Nikola Maksimovic since the start of the year, but he had also drawn interest from Chelsea.



However, the 24-year-old secured a loan move to Napoli last month. Getty Images 11/15 Stefan de Vrij The Blues added Lazio defender Stefan de Vrij to their list and made an offer in excess of £21m. Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images 12/15 Angelo Ogbonna Antonio Conte added Angelo Ogbonna to his wish-list hours before the transfer deadline but West Ham were reluctant to lose a second centre-back this summer. Slaven Bilic had already sanctioned the departure of James Tomkins earlier in the window. (MIGUEL MEDINA/AFP/Getty Images) 13/15 David Luiz In a stunning turn of events Chelsea offered PSG £32m for their former centre-back, who Jose Mourinho disposed of in 2014. The initial bid was rejected by the French champions, but an improved offer of £34m did the trick on deadline day. Paul Gilham/Getty Images 14/15 Marcos Alonso Chelsea also strengthened at full-back, with Fiorentina's Marcos Alonson arriving for £25million from Fiorentina on deadline day. Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images 15/15 Virgil van Dijk Southampton star Virgil van Dijk is also on Conte's wishlist, but the Blues will face competition from Manchester United, Everton and Liverpool. Glyn Kirk/AFP/Getty Images

“It makes no sense to go on loan all the time,” he said yesterday. “It is not good for any player in my experience — or the experience of the others.”

Chelsea’s record in bringing through young players is poor — despite an impressive run of FA Youth Cup success — but farming them out is only stifling their progress.

Back to the centre-backs. Jack Clarke-Salter was called into the first-team squad by Guus Hiddink last season and played 16 minutes in the League at Aston Villa, after which John Terry said: “He is doing great and I hope he goes on to take my position and get in the first team.”

Since then, Terry has signed a new contract and Clarke-Salter left on loan to Bristol Rovers. At least he’s only 18.

If Alex Davey, Dion Conroy and Kenneth Omeruo are all considered too inexperienced — although the latter is now 22 — then perhaps Andreas Christensen (left) could have been the centre-back Chelsea craved.

Christensen, 20, played 31 times for Borussia Moenchengladbach in the Bundesliga last season and won the club’s Player of the Season award, ahead of Granit Xhaka, who moved to Arsenal for £34m. He is in the final part of a two-year loan but that did not prevent the Germans bidding £14.25m this summer. Chelsea rejected that but were not moved to negotiate a release in Christensen’s loan so he could chance his arm in London.

Chelsea are by no means alone in this but the sheer volume of players involved — compared with Manchester City (17), Liverpool (12), West Ham (12) and Swansea (11) — suggest theirs is a case which warrants close attention.

Loan fees are a lucrative business and it doesn’t take an overtly cynical mind to advance the notion clubs are at risk of stockpiling talent to the detriment of a player’s career for their own financial gain. Any club can make mistakes in the market or gamble on a young talent. But surely there has to be a greater responsibility to furnish those players with the opportunity to play at their parent club.

Conte may not feel he has the time to wait. And in any case, he is unlikely to object on an ideological basis: in 2014 when he left Juventus to manage Italy, the Bianconeri had 64 players out on loan. Today that figure stands at 51.