In our Loan Watch feature series, the Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how a selection of players from a particular club are faring whilst they are away from their parent side, and provide a brief update regarding their form.
Here are three Chelsea loanees who have been spending time away from Stamford Bridge. It seems there have been some mixed fortunes for this particular trio.
MARIO PASALIC
Croatian Mario Pasalic scored his first goal of the season for Atalanta as the Serie A outfit swept aside Udinese by a scoreline of 7-1 at the weekend.
Their opponents actually took the lead early on, but never recovered after going down to 10 men with the scores level as Atalanta blitzed Udinese in the second half, with Pasalic grabbing the fifth for his side.
Pasalic has been in and out of the team so far this campaign, but has started three of the last four games in the league as he looks to end his two-year loan spell on a high note.
VICTOR MOSES
After over two months out with injury, Victor Moses finally returned to match action with an 81-minute shift for Fenerbahce as they saw off Konyaspor 5-1.
Moses had been sidelined with a thigh problem since mid-August, and after being an unused substitute last week, the Nigeria international made a winning return to the team.
He was not able to recreate the goal and assist he recorded on the season’s opening day, but his comeback will surely be a welcome sight for both his loan and parent clubs.
LEWIS BAKER
Unfortunately for Lewis Baker, progress at Fortuna Dusseldorf has been halted somewhat in terms of game time after the midfielder sat out a second game in succession at the weekend.
Perhaps a victim of rotation due to the Bundesliga strugglers’ poor form, Baker was dropped last week ahead of his side’s victory over Mainz, which was their first since the opening day.
His team were unable to build on that success as they were beaten at the weekend by bottom club Paderborn, who are now in sight of the block of teams on seven points that includes Fortuna Dusseldorf – for whom Baker has not featured since the international break.
Pasalic’s involvement on the scoresheet and Moses’ return from injury are undoubtedly highlights of the past few days as far as Chelsea’s loanees are concerned, though it seems Baker has a fight on his hands to reclaim his starting place in Germany.
With all three due to return to Stamford Bridge in June, time is running out to make an impression, and although Pasalic and Moses may be benefitting from the longer-term nature of their respective deals, the results that Baker has endured in the Bundesliga look to be harming his chances of football altogether.
Whether he will continue to fight for minutes remains to be seen, but this may be something onlookers at Chelsea will want to keep an eye on.
Chelsea fans, can the likes of Pasalic and Moses return to the Blues squad in this vein of form? Are you concerned about the potential stalling of Baker’s career? Join the discussion in the comments below!
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