Musonda earns top billing with his new role as the entertainer
THE official website of Chelsea Football Club contains a section dedicated exclusively to players placed out on loan. Running biographies of no fewer than 37 players, it is substantially larger than the forum dedicated to the club’s first team.
It’s against that backdrop that Charly Musonda, described by Chelsea’s in-house scribes as ‘studious and mature’, takes a sensibly pragmatic approach to his career.
Musonda became one of the 38 last week when he agreed an 18-month loan with Celtic, a move that had some followers of the west London club scratching their heads in puzzlement.
Musonda signed for Chelsea at the age of 15, agreed a new five-year contract in December and set up a Premier League goal for Victor Moses just a couple of weeks ago.
Despite all that, the Belgian youngster admits he may never establish himself at Stamford Bridge.
This rather frank admission should not be mistaken for a lack of confidence. Indeed he maintains that he deserves his billing as one of the continent’s top young talents.
‘Everyone has his own destination, his own road in life,’ states the 21-year-old. ‘Some go on loan to find that road somewhere else, some go on loan to develop and think they’ll one day come back to Chelsea.
‘Not many have done that, to be honest. Andreas Christensen is maybe a good example. He’s in the first team now after a good experience in Germany.
‘In my case, I’ve come on loan to enjoy my football and see where things take me. I don’t have a goal in life to go back to Chelsea right now.
‘There aren’t many players like me, though. Coming here at that age from another country, there were maybe only two or three I can think of — Christensen, Nathan Ake and myself.
‘But for me it was simple, you know — from that age I was one of the best and I know that. I have no doubts. You have to believe and then one day hope that you can make it.’
As first revealed in these pages last May, Rodgers thought he had a chance of landing the player during the close season but, interestingly, Musonda (right) admits the club would not let him leave until he penned his new, long-term deal in December.
Musonda is savvy enough to realise the contract was predominantly an exercise in asset protection on the club’s part. Although he made seven first-team appearances for the defending English champions this season, Musonda grabbed the chance to move to Celtic for a regular game.
‘For most of these players on loan, it’s not about going back to Chelsea, it’s about developing and finding your level,’ he explains. ‘Whether it’s playing in Germany like Eden’s brother Thorgan Hazard, or Ryan Bertrand playing for Southampton — there are many examples of Chelsea players who went on loan and are now playing for good teams. ‘The most important thing for me now is focusing on my football here and enjoying it and then we’ll see — anything can happen.’ Central defender Christensen spent two years on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach and was already an established Danish internationalist by the time he returned to claim a place in Antonio Conte’s team. Musonda, still uncapped at senior level, is an entirely different type of player. Slight in stature yet possessed with an effervescent personality and bags of skill, he has been brought to Glasgow to provide creativity and entertainment. Musonda made his Celtic debut as a second-half substitute against Hearts on Tuesday night and, although the contest was already settled by the time he came on, he lit up the game with a couple of imaginative passes — one with his heel and the other a lofted through-ball. ‘That’s my style, it’s why I’m here — to entertain,’ he continues. ‘I know the manager has developed many good, young players like Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho and he’s doing it here as well with Kieran Tierney, Patrick Roberts and Moussa Dembele. ‘I came up for a game at the end of last season, met the manager and knew this would be a good place to come and play football. ‘I had no doubt that to come here and play for him would be an exciting step in my development.’ Rodgers acknowledges that the trend for English clubs to stockpile players makes the exploitation of the loan market a key aspect of Celtic’s transfer strategy. Roberts has also been borrowed from Manchester City and there may be more to follow. ‘With Charly and Pat there were English Premier League clubs interested,’ says the manager. ‘We have every right to want to be in that market too. Those clubs will look after the talents, put them on big contracts, so you can’t buy them. But if you have an opportunity to take that talent on loan, then I think it’s great.’