Chelsea’s plan for midfielder on the verge of important loan – Blues hold contract option | OneFootball

Chelsea are getting into gear with their summer now, and with so much of their buying complete, it’s sales and loans where the focus is now.

The latest player to find a new home is academy produced midfielder Leo Castledine. The Evening Standard have just announced that he’s going to take a medical tomorrow with Huddersfield Town ahead of a season long loan there.

Castledine to return to League One

Leo Castledine in Chelsea training.

Castledine spent last season on loan with Shrewsbury Town, also in League One, where he played a lot until picking up a back injury in February, although they finished bottom and were relegated.

An England international and a really promising member of our youth teams through the teams, Castledine will be aiming to impress at a far stronger team in the third tier and then make the jump up to the Championship.

Chelsea are not counting on the 20 year old long term – they will loan him out this year and likely hope to cash in with a small sum for a permanent sale next summer. Castledine has one year left on his contract, but the Blues have an option to extend it to guarantee they get at least some compensation.

Chelsea face challenge over pathways for breakthrough academy talents

It will be interesting to see which other academy players are loaned out before this window is closed. Enzo Maresca handed out an exceptional number of debuts last season, mainly in the Conference League. But that avenue to game time is now closed, and many of those players who got a sniff of first team action will now either have to return to youth football or go on loan.

Castledine will be one of many we think go to compete in the lower league of English football to show what they’ve got.