Chelsea’s Andrey Santos Faces Recall From Nottingham Forest Amid Loan Limitations

Andrey Santos, currently on loan at Nottingham Forest, is poised for a January recall by Chelsea due to his limited game time, having played only seven minutes in the Premier League.

However, his return might be met with restrictions owing to regulations governing loan moves.

Despite Chelsea’s high regard for the 19-year-old midfielder, they are concerned by his minimal involvement at Forest, where he has only started once in the Carabao Cup. Chelsea holds the authority to terminate the loan agreement if Santos fails to meet a specific appearance threshold by January.

Fortunately, both clubs share an amicable relationship, previously discussing potential swap deals, and are open to finding a mutually beneficial solution if Santos surpasses the appearance target.

Yet, Santos faces stiff competition in Chelsea’s midfield, contending with players like Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher, Romeo Lavia, and Lesley Ugochukwu.

New FIFA regulations restrict clubs to only seven players out on overseas loans simultaneously, a limit Chelsea has already reached. This constrains Santos’s options for a loan move to within English football. Porto has shown interest, but Premier League interest remains uncertain.

Chelsea could free up a loan spot by canceling one of their current overseas loans, but this may incur financial penalties or opposition from involved clubs. Winger Diego Moreira, having played minimal minutes for Lyon, could be a candidate, although this would mean forfeiting Chelsea’s substantial £2.5 million loan fee.

Disappointment lingers regarding Romelu Lukaku, Hakim Ziyech, and Kepa Arrizabalaga, who occupy three of the seven loan spots, having not been permanently sold in the summer transfer window. This situation complicates Chelsea’s flexibility in managing loan deals.