Chelsea undoubtedly let go of a promising talent in the summer when they allowed Dominic Solanke to join Premier League rivals, Liverpool.
The England Under-21 international left the club in the search of regular first-team football, and despite only featuring scarcely for Liverpool since his arrival at Anfield, he has found himself presented with more frequent opportunities.
Solanke was one of many Chelsea youngsters who have been shipped out on loan by the club in the past. The 20-year-old spent the duration of the 2015/16 campaign on loan in Holland, plying his trade for Vitesse Arnhem.
Chelsea’s loan system comes under fire considerably often, but Solanke has taken it upon himself to defend the club’s methods, and assure the public that it benefitted his progress.
As quoted by the Evening Standard, Solanke had this to say about Chelsea’s policies for the younger players at the club:
It helps you as a young player, going out and seeing a different [type of] football and culture.
I think that can only help playing men’s football when you are young. I think that helped me.
Solanke received his first ever England call-up at senior level at the weekend ahead of the country’s home clash against Brazil on Tuesday night.
