Rodgers has upset Chelsea over loan use of Musonda
CHELSEA are unhappy about Charly Musonda’s limited opportunities while on loan at Celtic and it could have repercussions if Brendan Rodgers ever hopes to take the manager’s job at Stamford Bridge.
Rodgers has strong links with Chelsea, where he was a youth coach and reserve-team boss before enjoying success as a manager with Swansea, Liverpool and Celtic.
He signed Musonda on an 18-month loan deal in January but the 21-year-old striker has started only two games since the move to Scotland.
The Belgian was not in the matchday squad against Rangers last weekend and if there is no prospect of that changing, Chelsea’s loan team will explore the idea of calling him back in the summer.
It has also been noted that this is not the first time Chelsea’s young players have wasted time on loan with Rodgers, despite verbal assurances they would be exposed to plenty of competitive action. Josh Mceachran barely featured while on loan at Swansea and Victor Moses, now an established part of Chelsea’s first team, made little impact when on loan at Liverpool.
Rodgers has said he ‘would love to work in the Premier League again one day’ but has much work to do if he is to charm Roman Abramovich and the board of directors.
They are still sore about comments he made in 2012, claiming he was not interested in the Chelsea job because he was ‘trying to build a career and not destroy it’.
Antonio Conte, having won the title in his first season, is set to leave Stamford Bridge after the FA Cup final. Luis enrique and Max Allegri are among the leading candidates to succeed him.