Chelsea defender to make his loan move permanent?

According to reports, Aston Villa are looking to turn Ryan Bertrand's loan agreement into a permanent transfer this summer. I just wonder if Chelsea will accept this option as they look to fund potential moves themselves.

As much as I like Ryan Bertrand as a person and for his involvement in the greatest night of our history in Munich 19.05.12, I cannot help but feel that he is someone who has been given plenty of chances at the club to develop and to play games but just hasn't made enough of a step forward.

I will admit that the emergence of Cesar Azpilicueta playing on the left hand side has hampered his chances here at the club but I expected more from Bertrand, I really did.

Last season, plenty was made about the targets the club had set for him ahead of the 2012-2013 season. I cannot remember the exact number, but he was given a target to start around 20 or so games for the first team, a figure he reached without problem under both Roberto Di Matteo and Rafa Benitez.

So, as we moved into the current season, you would expect him to be aiming and working towards a greater number of starts but for whatever reason it just hasn't happened this term.

My own personal feeling about Bertrand is that I couldn't rely on him 100% to come in and fill in for Azpilicueta or Ashley Cole. I do not have the same level of confidence defensively as I would in his ability to get forward and cross the ball into the box.

There always just seemed something that seemed to hold him back. I don't know if others feel the same.

So, a decision was made in January to send him out on loan to Villa and he has done OK there and has featured heavily under Paul Lambert since he arrived.

At 24 Bertrand needs to consider his future because he needs first team football. You look at him compared to Luke Shaw at Southampton and in a toss up between the two you would go with Shaw without question.

Speaking of his time at Villa, Bertrand said:

“Paul Lambert was one of the main catalysts of me coming to this club, because he’s a manager whose teams play the way that I like to play.

He really encourages you to express yourself on the pitch so it’s always a pleasure to play this way.

To play with the boys has been fantastic, on and off the pitch. In training there’s a fantastic mentality from all the boys and it’s a fantastic area to learn in.” 

I expect plenty of movement from Chelsea this summer as we all have to cope with the FFP constraints. Bertrand like plenty of other young players of value, are important to the planning for next season as much as bringing someone in just as we have seen with the departures of Juan Mata and Kevin DeBruyne to fund the arrival of Nemanja Matic and Mohammed Salah.

I'm sorry to say it Chelsea fans, but I believe Ryan Bertrand will be sold and the money we recoup from his departure will be used to fund a move for Luke Shaw.

What do you people think?