As
Southampton prepare for their Europa League third qualifying round meeting
with Vitesse Arnhem, we take a look at the Dutch club's Chelsea connection.
Since Chelsea established a partnership with Vitesse back in 2010, a host of
Blues players have moved on loan to the Eredivisie club for a taste of
regular first team football.
Nemanja Matic, Tomas Kalas and Gael Kakuta are among the players to have
made the switch in recent years - and there are four young Blues currently
on the books at Vitesse who could feature against Southampton.
Danilo Pantic
Teenage midfielder Pantic was sent on loan to Vitesse straight after joining
Chelsea from Partizan Belgrade last week. The Blues paid a reported fee of
£1.25m for the 18-year-old, who has captained Serbia at U19 level and
featured in Partizan’s Europa League games against Tottenham, Asteras and
Besiktas last season. "I am very happy to sign for Chelsea, the champions of
the English Premier League, and I hope I can show my value at Vitesse in the
coming season," he said. "I am honoured at the faith both clubs have shown
in me."
Isaiah Brown
Brown became the second youngest player in Premier League history when he
came off the bench for West Brom against Wigan at the age of 16 years and
117 days in 2013. Chelsea agreed a deal for the talented young forward a few
months later, and he made his Blues debut as a substitute against his former
club in May. Brown excelled in Chelsea’s youth teams and made the step up to
England’s U19s last season, and Jose Mourinho has said he will "blame
himself" if the 18-year-old is not a full international within a few years’
time. Having joined Vitesse earlier this month, Brown will be hoping to
catch his manager’s eye against Southampton.
Nathan
Brazil youth international Nathan signed for Chelsea from Atletico
Paranaense in May and his loan move to Vitesse was announced at the same
time as Brown's. Nathan is a creative attacking midfielder with an eye for
goal who is highly regarded in his homeland. He broke into Atletico
Paranaense’s first team around a year ago having scored five times for
Brazil at the U17 World Cup in United Arab Emirates in 2013, and he has
since made the step up to U20 level. After Lucas Piazon and Wallace, Nathan
is the third Brazilian player to make the move from Chelsea to Vitesse in
recent seasons.
Lewis Baker
Baker is another young English prospect Mourinho wants to develop into a
full international. The 20-year-old's only senior appearance for the Blues
came as a late substitute in an FA Cup tie against derby back in January
2014, but, like Brown, he has impressed at youth level for club and country.
Baker's move to Vitesse is the third loan switch of his fledgling career.
The midfielder had a spell at Sheffield Wednesday last season before moving
to MK Dons, where he scored three goals in 12 appearances and helped Karl
Robinson’s side win promotion to the Championship. Baker has featured
prominently for Vitesse in pre-season and is likely to start against the
Saints.
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