The first Loan Report of 2018 covers a congested schedule in England, where there have been few headline-makers, but there is plenty of scope for situations to change in the coming month with the opening of the winter transfer window.
England
Premier League
With some teams facing as many as three matches in the space of six days, the action came thick and fast for some of Chelsea’s loanees, although not as many featured as often as we would have liked. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, for example, completed seventy minutes of Crystal Palace’s 3-2 defeat to Arsenal – ending an ever-present run over the previous seven full matches – before sitting out their goalless draw with Manchester City on New Year’s Eve.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DfzfTCZ9xA
Manager Roy Hodgson remained coy on the reason for the England international midfielders’ absence, but it could quite easily just have been erring on the side of caution with matches piling up, and he is expected to return to the squad for Tuesday’s trip to Southampton.
Kurt Zouma was involved throughout as Stoke drew 1-1 at Huddersfield on Boxing Day, seeing a header cleared off the line, but was then forced to sit out their 5-0 defeat at Chelsea due to Premier League loan rules. He returned for their 1-0 loss at home to Newcastle on New Year’s Day, a result that could see him join the list of loanees experiencing a change of manager this season.
Tammy Abraham did just that, with Paul Clement losing his Swansea job just before Christmas, and after getting half an hour in a humbling 5-0 defeat at Liverpool on Tuesday he was named in Carlos Carvalhal’s first team selection as manager for the visit to Watford. This time he completed just under an hour, Swansea won 2-1, and they host Tottenham on Tuesday.
Izzy Brown missed Brighton’s trips to Chelsea (loan rules) and Newcastle (no reason given) before returning to the squad for the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, where he received just two minutes at the end of the match. Rumours are swirling that he is set to return to Stamford Bridge with a view to finding a new loan home, whilst Kasey Palmer is expected to do the same after going the entire week without featuring whatsoever for a struggling Huddersfield Town. Ironically, Brown could yet replace Palmer in the Terriers’ squad, having spent the second half of last season on loan at the Yorkshire club.
Championship
Hull continue to look much improved under Nigel Adkins and, with Ola Aina, Fikayo Tomori and Michael Hector settling into new roles, there is optimism as 2018 gets underway. They each played every second of draws with Derby and Fulham before falling to a narrow defeat at Bolton, and Tomori in particular has earned positive reviews for his outings at right-back. Hector, on the other hand, drew criticism for a poorly-timed tackle that let Fulham back into their 2-2 stalemate from the penalty spot.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEsuYpaRRHw
Tomas Kalas played the full ninety minutes there and also at Cardiff on Boxing Day, whilst Lucas Piazon marked his return from a broken ankle with substitute appearances in both. Slavisa Jokanovic’s side host Ipswich Town on Tuesday.
Iké Ugbo played just twenty minutes for Barnsley in their festive schedule, which is twenty minutes more than Jamal Blackman or Lewis Baker managed. Blackman continues to play second fiddle to Simon Moore despite Sheffield United’s continuing poor form, whilst Baker is yet to feature under new Middlesbrough manager Tony Pulis, although he has at least returned to the matchday squad. With any luck he will be recalled this week and suitably re-homed.
Jeremie Boga played 167 of 180 minutes for Birmingham heading into Tuesday’s trip to Reading, and caught the eye against Leeds in particular.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sX2w-Vv2PsE
League One
Jordan Houghton remains a member of the loan army for the time being, featuring in a win over Rochdale and a draw at Peterborough, but Doncaster are working towards a permanent deal that will suit all parties. Houghton, 22, spent last season on loan at the Keepmoat Stadium before a torn cruciate ligament prematurely ended his campaign, but he remains popular at the club and has been an important figure in their solid return to League One this term. With his Chelsea contract up in the summer, a deal will be struck to allow him to move on and take his career to new highs away from SW6.
Fergie reiterated post-match that Jordan Houghton is his primary January target. Permanent deal 'quite close'. #drfc
— Paul Goodwin (@paulgoodwinNW) December 30, 2017
Jay Dasilva played every second in all three of Charlton’s matches over the past seven days, but the Addicks picked up just a solitary point, and have slipped down to ninth and out of immediate playoff contention.
League Two
Brad Collins was in goal for Forest Green’s defeats to Lincoln and Wycombe as they remain bottom of the football league. He produced one fine save in the first half against Lincoln, but it was also from his poor kick that the hosts were able to launch a break for the winning goal.
Non-League
Nathan Baxter returned from a minor injury as Woking lost twice to Aldershot in the space of six days, with a draw at Eastleigh sandwiched in between. The Cards have faded after a promising autumn, but Baxter has continually caught the eye throughout.
Jared Thompson and Chippenham Town suffered back-to-back defeats to Hungerford Town.
Winter Breaks
Everyone else in the land of the loanee is currently enjoying a winter break.
Statistics
Started: July 15th
Finished: May 26th
| Player | Club | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe/Cont | Other | Mins Played | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Tammy Abraham | Swansea City | 30 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1971 | 37 | 8 |
| Ola Aina | Hull City | 44 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4003 | 47 | 1 |
| Victorien Angban | Waasland-Beveren | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2349 | 31 | 1 |
| Lewis Baker | Middlesbrough | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 790 | 14 | 2 |
| Michy Batshuayi | Dortmund | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1169 | 14 | 9 |
| Jeremie Boga | Birmingham City | 30 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2190 | 33 | 2 |
| Isaiah Brown | Brighton | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 401 | 15 | 0 |
| Jake Clarke-Salter | Sunderland | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 490 | 9 | 0 |
| Charlie Colkett | Vitesse Arnhem | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 293 | 11 | 0 |
| Cristian Cuevas | FC Twente | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1968 | 24 | 0 |
| Fankaty Dabo | Vitesse Arnhem | 27 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2625 | 33 | 0 |
| Jay Dasilva | Charlton Athletic | 39 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3483 | 43 | 0 |
| Marco van Ginkel | PSV | 28 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2874 | 33 | 16 |
| Michael Hector | Hull City | 36 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3054 | 37 | 1 |
| Jordan Houghton | Doncaster Rovers | 37 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3170 | 39 | 1 |
| Tomas Kalas | Fulham | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2609 | 36 | 0 |
| Todd Kane | Groningen | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 571 | 10 | 0 |
| Todd Kane | Oxford United | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1530 | 17 | 3 |
| Kenedy | Newcastle United | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 869 | 11 | 2 |
| Ruben Loftus-Cheek | Crystal Palace | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1965 | 25 | 2 |
| Matt Miazga | Vitesse Arnhem | 36 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3659 | 43 | 4 |
| Mason Mount | Vitesse Arnhem | 32 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2915 | 39 | 14 |
| Charly Musonda | Celtic | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 335 | 8 | 0 |
| Nathan | Amiens | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 85 | 2 | 0 |
| Nathan | Belenenses | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 496 | 13 | 2 |
| Kenneth Omeruo | Kasimpasa | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2407 | 27 | 1 |
| Kasey Palmer | Huddersfield Town | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 243 | 5 | 0 |
| Kasey Palmer | Derby County | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 473 | 16 | 2 |
| Danilo Pantic | Partizan Belgrade | 31 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3146 | 46 | 5 |
| Mario Pašalić | Spartak Moscow | 21 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1656 | 30 | 5 |
| Lucas Piazon | Fulham | 23 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1360 | 25 | 6 |
| Josimar Quintero | FC Rostov | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| Josimar Quintero | Real Betis B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 5 | 0 |
| Baba Rahman | Schalke | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 0 |
| Joao Rodriguez | Tampico Madero | 21 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1727 | 23 | 8 |
| Fikayo Tomori | Hull City | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2152 | 26 | 0 |
| Iké Ugbo | Barnsley | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 909 | 18 | 1 |
| Iké Ugbo | Milton Keynes | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1161 | 17 | 2 |
| Kurt Zouma | Stoke City | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3038 | 34 | 1 |
| Total | 64255 | 898 | 99 | |||||||||||
| Player | Club | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Mins Played | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Cln Sht | Apps | Cln Sht | Apps | Cln Sht | Apps | Cln Sht | Apps | Cln Sht | Apps | Cln Sht | |||
| Nathan Baxter | Woking | 42 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4320 | 48 | 7 |
| Mitchell Beeney | Sligo Rovers | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 990 | 11 | 2 |
| Jamal Blackman | Sheffield United | 30 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2727 | 32 | 9 |
| Brad Collins | Forest Green Rovers | 40 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3839 | 43 | 8 |
| Jared Thompson | Chippenham Town | 40 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3960 | 44 | 11 |
| Total | 15746 | 177 | 37 | |||||||||||