Chelsea send u-21 captain out on loan

Young midfielder Jordan Houghton will get a taste of first-team life with Gillingham next season. The Gills and Chelsea have agreed a six-month loan to take Houghton, 19, to the League One club, where manager Justin Edinburgh seems reasonably excited to have him:

I’m really pleased Jordan has chosen to join us until January. He chose us over a number of other clubs and I’m pleased to have secured the signing ... He is a terrific addition to our squad and I look forward to working with him.

Source: Gillinghamfootballclub.com.

One of the most important elements of a loan deal is how enthusiastic the loanee and his new team are to get together. That Gillingham are so enthusiastic about bringing Houghton on board is a very good sign, as is the fact that he apparently had his pick of clubs and was able to choose his favourite. Hopefully the early excitement gets reflected in a successful loan spell -- Houghton's certainly proved himself at under-21 level, and now it's time to see what he can do in the world of league football.