4 players that Chelsea should keep or loan

3. Loan: Connor Callagher

Chelsea v West Bromwich Albion - FA Youth Cup Fourth Round

Connor Callagher is an established name in the youth setup of England. He won the Young Player of the Season award at Chelsea last season. His appearances, although limited, have shown promise during this preseason. His footballing mentality has been on display at Chelsea for several years as he has breezed through the U-18s, U-21s and he finally seems ready to step up to the next level.

While some would debate that Callagher deserves to play for the first team at Stamford Bridge this season, that might not be as ideal. At such a crucial juncture of his career, it is important for Callagher to play for a competitive team week in week out. What this will do is give him some experience as well as allow him to play a crucial role for any team that he goes to on a temporary basis.

At the moment, Chelsea is stacked with midfielders for specific positions. Even if Callagher does stay at Stamford Bridge this season, his minutes will be limited and he will probably feature only in the Cup games. A perfect example of this is Ethan Amapadu. Last season, Chelsea decided against sending Ampadu on loan. This led to a horrendous season for him as he ended up playing more for his National Team, Wales, than for Chelsea.

Callagher is at an age where one wrong decision could derail his career. Going out on loan to a decent Premier League team such as Bournemouth or Wolves will probably be the best option for him as this would allow him to acclimatize to the Premier League conditions. For now, Callagher must prove himself elsewhere.