Chelsea have agreed for youngster Jesse Derry to join Sporting on loan this summer, and The Chelsea Chronicle have analysed just how good a deal this is.
Derry was given his debut for the first team by Liam Rosenior, and has already started a Premier League game for the Blues.
He won a penalty against Nottingham Forest, although was forced off with a serious head injury that sparked concern across Stamford Bridge.
Pros and cons of Jesse Derry joining Sporting on loan from Chelsea
Derry will now be swapping places with Geovany Quenda for next season, with the Portuguese winger joining up with Xabi Alonso’s squad this summer.
The Chelsea Chronicle have taken a look at the pros and cons of this deal, and what it could mean for Derry’s future at Chelsea.
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Pros
Regular game time at Sporting
With Quenda, Pedro Neto, Estevao Willian, Jamie Gittens, Alejandro Garnacho, and a potential new winger coming in, opportunities would be sparse for Derry this season.
It is likely that Alonso would be using this next 12 months to get an understanding of which first team players he can build his side around.
With Sporting, they have a glaring hole in their side after the departure of Quenda, a young player they were willing to give plenty of opportunities to.
Even with injuries, Quenda played 54 league games over the last two seasons, and Derry can expect regular opportunities when he arrives in Portugal.
Champions League football for Derry
Another reason behind limited opportunities at Stamford Bridge is the fact Chelsea have no European football to contend with next season.
Sporting however are set to compete in the Champions League again next season, after their second place finish in the Portuguese league last season.
Derry will have the opportunity to take on at least two top-class teams in the new Champions League format, a competition where Quenda made his name.
Showing he can perform on the big stage would be a great sign for Chelsea that he can deliver for them in the future.
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Bolstering Chelsea and Sporting relations
The signings of both Quenda and Dario Essugo came from Sporting, and now Chelsea are doing their bit in bolstering relations from their side.
This comes at a time where Todd Boehly has been linked with taking over the Portuguese side, in a similar fashion to how he did with Strasbourg.
Owning Sporting would be a level above though, given their regular outings in the Champions League and recently winning the domestic title.
It would also continue to give Chelsea a quality side to continue to loan their young players to, adding extra interest in how Derry gets on
Cons
No Premier League experience
There is no challenge like playing in the Premier League though, and this is an experience Derry is going to miss out on at Sporting.
We have already seen plenty of players struggle with the demands of top-flight English football since joining Chelsea, including those who have spent time on loan out of the country.
Some players have proven that it is not an issue though. Estevao found the transition to English football very comfortable before injuries ruined his campaign.
There is largely optimism about what the next season could look like for Derry, and he will be out with a point to prove to Alonso and co ahead of future seasons.
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