How Are Chelsea's Loan Players Faring in the Championship This Season?

Much is often made of the vast number of footballers contracted to Chelsea that go out on loan every season. Things are no different in the current campaign with 32 players temporarily away from Stamford Bridge.

Considering that four of those have dropped down a division from the Premier League into the Championship, how are this homegrown quartet doing in the second tier of English football? Think of this article as a progress report.

Marc Guehi

Ivorian-born England youth international centre back Marc Guehi has been on Chelsea's books since 2007. After making a couple of EFL Cup appearances last term, he went on loan to Swansea City and renewed his temporary stay in South Wales for this season.

The reason why is obvious. Swans boss Steve Cooper capped defender Guehi regularly when he was the England Under-17 national coach, and they won the 2017 World Cup in that age bracket.

With success like that, it's no surprise to see Swansea flying high, sitting second in the table, and fancied in the latest Championship betting for promotion at odds of 2/1. Guehi's contribution to the cause has helped the Liberty Stadium side to 11 clean sheets in his first 20 appearances this term.

Jake Clarke-Salter

Another defender owned by the Blues who was prepared to stay on in the Championship for another season is Jake Clarke-Salter. This is his fifth loan spell in total, but the second campaign with Birmingham City, who are coached by Aitor Karanka - a former assistant to Jose Mourinho.

Clarke-Salter, who like Guehi, has been capped all the way up to England-Under 21 level for national youth teams, has also been on Chelsea's books since boyhood. Since returning to St Andrew's, he has had to overcome a calf problem and been in and out of the side as a result.

Birmingham shares the same nickname as Chelsea, but these Blues find themselves in the lower mid-table of the Championship. Clarke-Salter will be hoping to regain full fitness and get a run of games together in 2021.

Izzy Brown

Attack-minded midfielder and wide player Izzy Brown is now on his seventh loan spell away from the Bridge after switching from West Bromwich Albion as a youth team player. Sheffield Wednesday have his services for the season, but all has not been well at Hillsborough.

After starting the campaign with a points deduction imposed on them by the EFL, the Owls have sacked two managers, first Garry Monk and then replacement Tony Pulis. Wednesday are very much in a relegation battle, because of the tough penalty they suffered.

Brown has made just one assist in his first 16 Championship games for the blue half of Sheffield, although he has often come off the bench late on in matches. More is needed, both to help his temporary club out of trouble and if he is to catch the eye of Chelsea boss Frank Lampard. 

Jamal Blackman

Goalie Jamal Blackman has seen the Blues make some expensive purchases to protect the posts since he joined the club as a boy way back in 2006. Think Thibaut Courtois, Kepa Arrizabalaga, and Edouard Mendy.

In order to get first-team football, Blackman has gone out on loan eight times. His latest stint away from the Bridge is with Championship strugglers Rotherham United where he is the first-choice keeper.

It's not disparaging to observe that the Millers are something of a yo-yo club between the second and third tiers of English football. Rotherham has conceded 29 in their first 20 league games and sit in the bottom three.