/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/50555759/GettyImages-589919592.0.jpg)
Well, might as well get this out of the way.
As expected, after yesterday's "snub" of Cesc Fàbregas by Antonio Conte — i.e. starting him on the bench as in the first two games, but not bringing him on because that match situation did not call for it — Fàbregas has now been linked (again) with an exit from Stamford Bridge. The Sun's report does not mention any specific destinations that 29-year-old midfield virtuoso might be considering, but previous stories had him linked mostly with Real Madrid (with James Rodriguez perhaps making the move in the opposite direction).
Looking beyond just the sourcing, we believe this rumor to be utter nonsense — Fabregas should get plenty of minutes, even if we assume that Oscar puts together a consistent seasno for the first time in his Chelsea career, and Conte recently praised Cesc's attitude and commitment — but not as much nonsense as the next story.
Schalke 04, obiettivo in difesa: trattativa per #Zouma https://t.co/NGsKe2rCwR
— Gianluca Di Marzio (@DiMarzio) August 28, 2016
OMG, Di Marzio is broken! Now what are we going to do?! Or is this a cry for help? Is Di Marzio stuck inside a computer and he can now only communicate through ridiculous football rumors?
Loaning out a player as part of an injury rehab wouldn't be the weirdest thing, but loaning out Zouma, especially when Chelsea are desperately short on defenders, is something that doesn't pass the sanity check.