Chelsea loanee pair return one week early from Reading

Chelsea announced today that defender Michael Hector, 23, and attacking midfielder Lucas Piazon, 22, have returned to the club from their loans at Championship club Reading. While neither player will be available to play in our four remaining matches in the Premier League (they're already registered until the end of the season with Reading), they will spend the rest of the season training with the first-team to help with their reintegration.

Reading manager Brian McDermott thanked Chelsea for the opportunity to work alongside Hector and Piazon this season, both of whom played significant roles (35 and 27 appearances, respectively) in Reading's season.

"I'd like to thank Chelsea Football Club for letting us have Lucas and Michael on loan this season. Michael is a player I have known for a long time now and his is an amazing story. He has been at Reading for six years now and after so many loan spells with lower league teams, he has now found himself at one of the biggest clubs in the world. Another amazing story that football tends to throw at you."

-Brian McDermott; source: Reading FC

Reading stand firmly in the Championship's mid-table in 15th place, with 52 points from 44 games and safe from the stresses of both relegation or promotion. They have absolutely nothing to play for and with only 2 games left until the end of the season, the early return of Hector and Piazon should be largely inconsequential.

Same can't be said of happens next for them in the summer, as they and Chelsea weigh up another round of crucial career decisions.