As reported by Talksport, newly appointed Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has confirmed that he is exploring the possibility of sending Ethan Ampadu out on loan next season amid interest from Aston Villa.
“Ethan is not here as we’re looking at the possibility of him going on loan for the season. I tried to sign Ethan on loan at Derby last year, so I’m a big fan, but with the minutes he played last year, I have to think of the bigger picture and the interests of Ethan and of Chelsea.” – Lampard said on Tuesday after arriving in Japan.
Ethan Ampadu’s spell at Chelsea
Ampadu joined Chelsea in a €2.8 million move from the Exeter U-18 side back in 2017. Even though he initially joined the first-team, he spent most of the time playing for the Chelsea reserves. And after impressing in the youth leagues, the defender was given his Premier League debut against Huddersfield Town during the 2017/18 campaign.
However, the youngster has found it difficult to make his way into the first-team since, mainly due to the presence of quality defenders like David Luiz, Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. He failed to make even a single appearance in the league last term. He did, however, feature in three games in the UEFA Europa League and also made two FA Cup appearances.
What can Ampadu bring to the table?
A centre-back by trade, Ampadu is primarily known for his calm and composed presence in the backline. Indeed, the 18-year-old has a maturity well beyond his age and also has excellent positioning sense. He is quite versatile as well, as he can feature in the holding midfield role.
However, what makes Ampadu one of the most promising young players for Chelsea is his ability to play out from the back. He has an excellent passing range, which is coupled with his composure and positional awareness – making him a unique component in the backline.
Should Aston Villa make a move for Ampadu?
Dean Smith is quite keen on bolstering the defensive department for Aston Villa next season. He has already secured the return of Tyrone Mings while also bringing in two talented young defenders in Ezri Konsa and Kortney Hause. Furthermore, they are expected to complete the move for Reims defender Bjorn Engels pretty soon.
Hence, the addition of Ampadu is somewhat redundant as it’s unlikely he will receive too many opportunities. This would be especially true if Engels does arrive at Villa Park this summer. Hence, the youngster should look for a move elsewhere as he seeks a more prominent first-team role in the Premier League next season.
