Gilmour, Gallagher, Batshuayi...a Premier League XI of Chelsea’s on-loan players

William Peat
2 December 2021

Michy Batshuayi Conor Gallagher Billy Gilmour

Planet Sport looks at the emerging stars and forgotten men from the Premier League’s most prolific loan providers.

Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea have continued where they left off last season and currently sit atop the Premier League on 29 points after suffering only one loss in their opening 12 games. They also sit second in their Champions' League group behind Juventus and are well placed to defend their trophy.

Not only do the Blues have incredible depth, they have time on their side, with an average squad age of 26.2.

They also have a host of players pushing just to get into the first-team squad.

Trevoh Chalobah is the latest in a long line of loan graduates who have gone on to make the Chelsea starting XI and he is not alone. Of the Blues squad that faced Manchester United last Sunday, eight had previously been sent out on loan from Stamford Bridge.

So, who are the pick of this season's Chelsea on-loan players and where are they? Planet Sport selects a starting XI which, while it may struggle against the European champions, would certainly hold its own in the lower reaches of the Premier League.

Goalkeeper: Nathan Baxter (On loan at Hull City)

Chelsea have three keepers out on loan, with 23-year-old Baxter now in his seventh loan spell.

A decent stint at Accrington last season brought him to the attention of Championship outfit Hull where he had to bide his time before ousting No. 1 Matt Ingram.

Baxter's introduction to the side has sparked quite the transformation in East Yorkshire.

The Tigers had picked up just nine points from their previous 16 games before Baxter's introduction.

However, three successive clean sheets inspired Grant McCann's side to nine points from nine and although Baxter was beaten for the first time against Millwall last Saturday, a fourth successive win has fired Hull clear of the drop zone.

It is form that earned Baxter a nomination for the November Championship player of the month.

Right-back: Dujon Sterling (On loan at Blackpool)

Having previously been on loan at Wigan Athletic and Coventry City, right-back Sterling is spending this season with Blackpool in the Championship where he has appeared seven times. Sterling has proven in the past that he can contribute offensively. When on loan at Coventry he registered five assists in 40 games, while for the Chelsea Under-23 team, he scored four goals and added five assists in 52 games.

The young defender was involved in Thomas Tuchel's first-team squad in pre-season this past summer, so he is clearly highly thought of at Chelsea.

Centre-back: Jake Clarke-Salter (On loan at Coventry City)

The former England youth international is spending the 2021/22 season on loan at Coventry City where he has played 13 games. Clarke-Salter, who describes himself as "an aggressive defender" is no stranger to a loan deal, with the Sky Blues being his fifth temporary club.

This is a big season for Clarke-Salter whose contract expires in the summer. Can he prove he is Chelsea quality?

Centre-back: Ethan Ampadu (On loan at Venezia)

For a young player, Ethan Ampadu has an abundance of experience. After loan spells at Sheffield United and RB Leipzig, Ampadu is in Italy this season at newly promoted club Venezia.

Ampadu has played eight matches and has contributed two assists.

A key attribute the Welsh international possesses is his versatility. Ampadu is known as a centre-back, but he can also be deployed as a defensive midfielder. The 21-year-old is not only a tenacious tackler, but he's comfortable with the ball at his feet and is capable of taking a man on.

Left-back: Emerson Palmieri (On loan at Lyon)

The 27-year-old signed for Chelsea during the 2018 January transfer window for £18million. Expectations were high after Chelsea beat Premier League rivals Liverpool to his signature.

Emerson barely featured last term, however, playing just eight matches, including six in the Champions League.

Emerson was loaned out to French side Lyon in the summer where he has played in 10 matches, scoring a goal and adding an assist.

A wing-back with good pace and eye for a cross, Emerson's time at Stamford Bridge already looks like being short and not particularly sweet.

Central midfield: Tiemoue Bakayoko (On loan at AC Milan)

Yes, Bakayoko is still officially a Chelsea player despite not playing a game for the London club since 2017. The once highly touted defensive midfielder has since been on four loan spells, three of which have been spent in Italy.

His first loan stint was at AC Milan before returning to Monaco on loan the following season. He spent the season after that at Napoli before rejoining Milan where he will spend this season.

For sure, Bakayoko will have matured during his time out loan, but he'll be nearly 28 when next season kicks off and really needs a place to call home. Chelsea doesn't look like being it.

Central midfield: Billy Gilmour (On loan at Norwich)

The talented 20-year-old midfielder is spending this season on loan at Norwich where he has made six Premier League appearances.

However he didn't play a single minute between the end of September and the start of November.

Gilmour hasn't been helped by the Canaries' own struggles but has been recalled to the team under Dean Smith and is determined to make a success of his stint in east Anglia.

"I'm here at Norwich, I want to do well, I want this loan to go well," he stated.

Gilmour, who as a Scotland international should be used to chasing lost causes, has helped Norwich earn four points since his return and has revealed it has been a learning process.

"I need to learn, I had to learn, so coming back in I knew I had to take my opportunity and make the jersey mine," he said.

Central midfield: Conor Gallagher (On loan at Crystal Palace)

Out of all Chelsea's loan players, Gallagher has garnered the most attention this season.

He has played 12 times for Palace, scoring four goals and adding three assists, earning an England call-up in the process.

Gallagher is a bright, skilful player who isn't afraid to take a man on and take a shot.

He was a key player for Palace in their shock 2-0 win at Man City earlier in the season and the 21-year-old looks undroppable.

Whether it be for Chelsea or elsewhere, Gallagher looks a future Premier League star.

Forward: Armando Broja (On loan at Southampton)

The 20-year-old striker became the first Albanian to score in the Premier League when notching in Saints' 1-0 over Leeds United in October.

Broja, who spent last season on loan at Vitesse in the Netherlands, is noted for his "speed in one-on-ones and seeing the goal well", according to Albania assistant coach Sergio Porrini.

The Blues demonstrated their faith in him by securing him to a five-year contract in the summer.

Forward: Kenedy - (On loan at Flamengo)

The Brazilian joined Chelsea in 2015 from Fluminense but has since been loaned out five times and is now back in Brazil with Flamengo.

In 13 Brasileirao appearances for the club, Kenedy has scored just once, with the majority of his minutes being accumulated off the bench.

Jose Mourinho definitely saw something in the then 19-year-old winger, but his Chelsea career has failed to take off and he has not made an appearance for the club since 2017.

Still best remembered for his nightmare performance for Newcastle against Cardiff in 2018. The winger failed to complete a pass in the whole of the first half and then missed a last-minute penalty to win the game for the Magpies.

Forward: Michy Batshuayi - (On loan at Besiktas)

Believe it or not, Michy Batshuayi is still owned by Chelsea.

The Belgian international joined the Blues back in 2016 for a fee of £33million and spent two years at Chelsea under Antonio Conte, where he showed some promise but lacked consistency. Batshuayi has not played for Chelsea since 2018, and has been loaned out to four different teams, including two years at fellow London club Crystal Palace.

This season he is on loan at Turkish club Besiktas, where in 14 games in all competitions, the physical striker has bagged four goals.

But if he can't make it at Chelsea aged 28, then he never will.