Sheffield United are closing in on the signing of Chelsea defensive starlet Ethan Ampadu on a season-long loan, according to reports.
Ampadu joined Chelsea as a 16-year-old back in 2017, but has found first team opportunities hard to come by.
The Wales international spent last season out on loan with RB Leipzig. But even there, he only managed seven appearances in all competitions. His only two starts came in the Champions League.
Hence, he is on the lookout for more regular gametime this season – and he may get it in the Premier League.
According to The Sun, Sheffield United are close to agreeing a loan deal for Ampadu. The Blades are confident they can offer him regular gametime.
Given that Ampadu can play as a centre-back or a defensive midfielder, Chris Wilder has outlined him as a useful option should they complete the signing.
In fact, Wilder recently revealed he wanted five signings, including a defender. Reports over the weekend suggested he was close to securing three of those, with a double raid on Derby and a swap deal with West Brom both gathering momentum.
Ampadu remains under contract at Chelsea until 2023. However, the Blues do not want his development to stagnate further, so are happy for him to leave on loan.
Giggs concerned about Ampadu development
Wales manager Ryan Giggs recently voiced his concerns that Ampadu needs to be playing more regularly.
After an impressive performance on international duty, Giggs said of the 19-year-old: “I want all the players to be playing regularly, but that sometimes isn’t the case.
“It’s that balance over whether they’re at a top club and surrounded by top players and improving every day, but ultimately you need minutes on the pitch.
“That’s a decision for Ethan. I’ve talked to him a lot about that.”
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