Chelsea’s Mario Pasalic is heading to Spartak Moscow.
Chelsea midfielder Mario Pasalic is set to clinch another loan deal – but his hopes of playing in Britain will have to wait.
After being signed in 2014 when Jose Mourinho was manager, Croatian international Pasalic has been on loan in France, Spain and most recently Italy with AC Milan.
Chance missed all round
If Pasalic is going to make it as a Chelsea player, which they hope for as they have just extended his contract, then sooner or later he needs to get used to playing in the UK and adapting to the style of football.
Two British clubs had expressed an interest who could have offered very different experiences.
Gianluca Di Marzio claimed in June that Leeds United hoped to sign the 22-year-old.
Leeds may not be a top flight side like Spartak Moscow or AC Milan, but they could offer the true English football experience, a school of hard knocks in the Championship, which any top midfielder hoping to make it at Chelsea should be able to dominate.
ABCSevilla reported Scottish champions Celtic were also keen on Pasalic, and could have offered him the chance to play Champions League football – pending their qualification.
The problem both teams faced in signing Pasalic was the heavy midfield competition already in place, and Chelsea will have wanted Pasalic to get regular game time.
Pasalic will one day need experience playing in the UK if he is to make it at Chelsea, and his Russia loan simply delays that by another year.
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