Ruben Loftus-Cheek could move to Spain on loan before the end of their transfer window.
Having been picked in the final England 23 for this summer's World Cup, the Chelsea midfielder was not even in new boss Maurizio Sarri’s match-day squad for the first home game of the season against Arsenal on Saturday.
That has left the 22-year-old, who played his way into Gareth Southgate's Russia 2018 party while on a season's loan at Crystal Palace, worried about his future.
He could be keen to move again to make sure he gets enough game time to protect his international career.
There has been strong interest from Spain, which seems his most likely destination with the Premier League window already closed.
He will reject any attempts by Chelsea to get him to sign a new contract before they loan him out.
The Blues often insist players agree new deals before they get farmed out as it protects their asset.
Loftus-Cheek has three years left on his current contract.
Handsome Mike
65
Hey son, you gotta earn the shirt to play..You don't get an automatic selection just because you went to the world cup.. Chelsea is a top club and has a very solid squad now..Drinkwater, Fab, Barkley, Kovacic are fighting for just one spot.. I would have loved the club to keep you and loan Drinkwater out but it seems you ain't patient enough.
Kestinakent
47
I don't see loftus playing in that Chelsea team this season unless he improve on his defensive game sarri highlight the defensive improvement of kovacic and he said "he(kovacic) will be able to play because the last two years he spend in Madrid he use it to improve on his defensive game "... loftus need to improve on his defensive game this has been the reason he has not been given the opportunity at Chelsea