Chelsea Under-21s manager Dermot Drummy says that Jose Mourinho wants to take a look at the likes of Nathan Ake and Lewis Baker before deciding whether or not they should go out on loan this summer.
Drummy told West London Sport:
“We are going to keep Nathan and Lewis Baker and those type of players and just see where the season goes, because we haven’t really seen too much of Jose.
“Jose has to come and look and we have to talk to Jose to see what he thinks of the standard of the boys. He has mentioned keeping them around and keeping them involved, which is brilliant.
“Jose mentioned he would be looking at those players and actually coming to the games to tell the players where they are at, which was great.
“The communication from the first-team manager is a big pathway for the boys and they need that communication. I did meet Jose and he said he will do that, so that will be brilliant.”
Ake could count himself particularly unlucky not to have made the trip to the US as part of a 25-man Chelsea squad that includes four goalkeepers, especially as he was around the first-team last season when he made six appearances for the Blues as well as featuring for the Under-21s.
The 18-year-old arrived in West London from Feyenoord in 2011 and will eventually become a home-grown player should he remain in England for another season before his 21st and will qualify as a club-trained player in UEFA competitions in the same time-frame if he remains at Chelsea. A number of Premier League clubs are said to be interested in taking him on loan whilst Vitesse Arnhem remains an option.
As for Baker, he’s just recently signed a new three-year deal that will keep him at the club until 2016, a reward for his fine form for Drummy’s side. The 18-year-old has plenty of time to make his mark at Stamford Bridge but may seek a loan to gain experience as well as regular football in a more competitive environment.
Source: West London Sport