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Bad news for Frank Lampard.
According to ESPN’s sources, Mason Mount and Fikayo Tomori will not be eligible to play for Derby County when they face Chelsea in the League Cup at Stamford Bridge later this month. The two Chelsea loanees have two of the best players for Super Frank at Derby this season and played crucial roles in their shock elimination of Manchester United at Old Trafford last week.
But rules are rules, and according to previously cited League Cup regulations, Derby would need “written consent” from Chelsea. But according to the report, Chelsea make it standard practice — like all other English clubs — to include a clause in all loanee contracts that they are not eligible to play against the parent club.
Mason Mount & Fikayo Tomori won’t be allowed to play for Derby against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup fourth round later this month. Full @ESPNFC story https://t.co/tCEXFKa4md #cfc
— Liam Twomey (@liam_twomey) October 1, 2018
The only evidence to the contrary to this is Thibaut Courtois’ case, when he was at Atlético Madrid, but that had a lot to do with UEFA pushing for him to be eligible as well. Last season, when Chelsea faced Hull City in the FA Cup, none of Ola Aina, Michael Hector, or, again, Fikayo Tomori were eligible.
It’s a bit of an unfortunate situation — Chelsea would’ve still been strong favorites and we could’ve seen two of our prized prospects in action first-hand — but this is the accepted practice. Sorry, Frankie!