Chelsea warn Vitesse about lack of playing time for youngsters

Chelsea have loaned five youngsters to Eredivisie side Vitesse Arnhem this season, with the intent to get them first-team minutes in the Netherlands. But with varied success so far, Chelsea assistant manager Eddie Newton warned the Arnhem club over the lack of playing time for the Blues players.

"It's all about the players' development for us. There are things that are important to us. Firstly, the player's development on and off the pitch. Do they improve as a player, get more clever, more independent and things like that?"

"But the second is at least as important and that is whether they are getting regular playing time. A player's development is in danger if they do not play often enough. We will have to look at other clubs if that is the case."

-Eddie Newton; Source: Voetbal International via FourFourTwo

While Vitesse's technical director Mo Allach expressed his club's interest in extending their loan deals with our players for the next season, the lack of playing time for some of them - especially Nathan and Danilo Pantic - might make Chelsea think twice before committing to an extension. It wouldn't be of much value for Chelsea to have such an arrangement when the players haven't been able to see ample time on the field as it was once expected, even considering any advantages in having them settling in the country and the league for another year.