Chelsea's 12 loanees in the EFL and how they fared from Drinkwater to Colwill

Chelsea still have some work to do to ensure they secure third place in the Premier League.

For the vast majority of the season, Thomas Tuchel's side have occupied the slot just behind runaway duo Manchester City and Liverpool. But a recent blip, with just two wins from their last seven league outings, has seen Arsenal close the gap on them.

After a turbulent few months off-the-field, Tuchel will no doubt be looking towards next season already - with a sizeable rebuild likely.

As well as the future of senior players to consider, Chelsea also have an army of players out on loan. Many were sent abroad, but a clutch stayed in England and gained valuable experience at clubs across various levels of the English Football League.

Here, Mirror Football runs the rule over them and assesses what is next for them.

Levi Colwill

Colwill has enjoyed a superb campaign out on loan at Huddersfield Town.

The centre-half has played a big part in the Terriers' promotion charge, as they finished third in the regular table. Colwill, 19, has made 30 appearances and scored two goals in his first taste of senior football.

He has drawn comparisons with Blues' icon John Terry for his style of play and Huddersfield's head of football operations Leigh Bromby lavished more praise on him when earlier this season he said: "The chances, for me, are so high that he will go back and play for Chelsea and England."

Chelsea clearly knew they had a talent on their hands, ensuring Colwill penned a four-year deal prior to heading out on loan. He will now be hoping for a perfect end to his spell in West Yorkshire by helping them negotiate the play-offs and seal a spot in the Premier League.

With a host of centre-halves heading for the exit door at Stamford Bridge, Colwill could get a chance to shine upon his return.

Jake Clarke-Salter

Defender Clarke-Salter, like many Chelsea players past and present, is developing a reputation as a serial loanee. He has just spent the season at Coventry - his sixth separate stint away from Stamford Bridge. He played 31 times in all competitions in another impressive season for the Sky Blues.

When quizzed back in March whether he would consider a permanent move to Coventry, he said: "Yes, it's an option I would consider, but like I have said, I am just focused on playing as well as I can and staying injury free and playing well."

Clarke-Salter's current deal at his parent club expires in a few months but they do have an option to extend that by another year if they so wish.

Ian Maatsen

Dutch full-back Maatsen also spent the past season at Coventry, along with Clarke-Salter. The 20-year-old enjoyed a prominent role in Mark Robins' side featuring 40 times.

Contracted until 2024, Maatsen's form this term even alerted Spanish giants Barcelona. But his long-term future clearly appears to be at Stamford Bridge.

Another loan move could well follow next season.

Juan Castillo

Left-back Castillo spent this season on loan at two different clubs, but neither spell was a roaring success. The 22-year-old played just five times for Birmingham and three times for Charlton.

Prior to being sent out at the start of the season, Castillo penned a contract extension but he looks unlikely to break into the first team any time soon.

Baba Rahman

A sixth loan spell beckoned for Rahman at the start of this season when he joined Championship side Reading. The full-back made 15 Premier League appearances for his parent club back in the 2015-16 season but has since been ostracised and despatched to Germany, France, Greece and Spain.

This season has seen him a regular in Reading's side, with 33 appearances to his name. He also featured for Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations earlier in the year. His contract at Chelsea runs until 2024 but it may well be time for a permanent move away rather than yet another loan spell next season.

Danny Drinkwater

The forgotten man of Stamford Bridge. Drinkwater, now aged 31, has spent this season on loan at Reading and has quietly kept the Royals' engine room ticking over.

He made 34 appearances in total although will possibly not be happy at just managing a solitary goal and assist. His move to Chelsea back in 2017 has been nothing short of a disaster and he's made just 12 Premier League appearances for the Blues, with this his fourth separate loan spell away. His contract expires this summer and it would be a miracle if somehow it was extended.

Tino Anjorin

Anjorin has experienced arguably the strangest season of all players on this list. He began the 2021-22 campaign out on loan at Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow.

He was limited to eight appearances, although he did feature in the Europa League. He then sustained a foot injury that ended with the loan being terminated - shortly before Russia's invasion of Ukraine occurred.

He then agreed to join Huddersfield on loan for the second half of the season and has made eight outings so far but is yet to start. He will be hoping to make an impact in their play-off bid, starting with the semi-final double-header against Luton. His Chelsea contract runs until 2025.

Mason Burstow

Burstow, 18, was signed by Chelsea in the January window and immediately loaned back to former club Charlton. Certainly one for the future, he has two goals in 16 outings this term.

Nathan Baxter

Goalkeeper Baxter joined newly-promoted Championship side Hull last summer - the seventh different loan spell of his Chelsea career.

He was a regular in the side until sustaining a hand injury in the New Year. He was however able to return to the Tigers' side for the last few games of the season. In total he made 16 appearances, netting seven clean sheets. His Chelsea contract has another year to run.

Jamie Cumming

Goalkeeper Cumming enjoyed two separate spells in League One this term, at both ends of the table. He played 22 times for relegation-battling Gillingham in the first half of the season before a switch to MK Dons. He featured 21 times for the Dons, as they just fell short in the play-off semi-finals. Cumming has another year left on his Blues' deal but another loan, perhaps to the Championship, is likely next term.

Dujon Sterling

Full-back Sterling made 25 outings on loan at Championship side Blackpool this season. It represented a third spell out on loan for the 22-year-old. He signed a contract extension with his parent club prior to moving to the Seasiders and it was reported recently that Chelsea are planning on him being part of their first team for the upcoming pre-season.

Henry Lawrence

Lawrence, a 20-year-old defender, played 24 times for AFC Wimbledon in their unsuccessful bid to beat the drop in League One. He is contracted to Stamford Bridge until 2023.