With 26 players on loan, Chelsea might be the most crowded team in the whole England. Roman Abramovich doesn't see money spending as a problem, but as a way to boost the squad. Well, it seems like all those arrivals at Stamford Bridge start to turn into one big exaggeration.
Frank Lampard left for New York City, or Manchester City actually, because the club haven't signed a new contract with the legend by the release date. It wasn't because they couldn't afford it, not at all. It was because more players came to sign the contract with the Blues, and therefore, the club's all-time top scorer had to find a new club for the first time since 2001.
Youngsters often sign with Mourino's team, play a couple of matches and get loaned out, some never to return again. That's been the case with Patrick van Aanholt, Kevin De Bruyne and Goodison Park star Romelu Lukaku.
Some always vainly hope of returning to London after successful loans, but mostly they either get sold or loaned out again and again. Gael Kakuta, who has been praised for excellent performances by former manager Carlo Ancelotti in 2009, is the perfect example. The Frenchman was expected to secure a first-team place for those enviable compliments.
Nevertheless, he took part in only a dozen matches before moving to Craven Cottage. Upon the 23-year-old's return, all places in the midfield were taken. It is why he started travelling and is now playing for the seventh team in five years.
Victor Moses, Oriol Romeu, Marko Marin, Fernando Torres - the list of Chelsea loaners is exceptional, almost endless. Many stars, which are now ex-stars, have lost a place in the national squad after moving from their ex-clubs, where they were team leaders, to the club in south west London, where they got benched if there was enough of luck.
Has time for changes come? There's no point of keeping this transfer policy alive if no titles are being won. Even if the whole senior team got injured, and all loaned out players stepped in, there would still be lack of room for some.
Source: DSG
