Chelsea have confirmed that defender Jeffrey Bruma has joined Bundesliga side Hamburg on loan until the end of next season. The Dutch youngster has been offered a good shot at first-team football with the German side following the sale of Joris Mathijsen's to Malaga earlier this summer. The 19-year-old, who spent three months on loan with Championship side Leicester season, could extend his stay in Germany for an additional season if Hamburg take up the option of an extension. Bruma with reunite with his former Chelsea youth team colleagues Michael Mancienne, Jacopo Sala and Gokhan Tore, who have all recently joined Hamburg on permanent deals after being released from Stamford Bridge.
We're apparently looking to fill a hole in the centre of defence with players aged mid-twenties with at least a season experience in the premiership. I think it is generally accepted that our league is physically brutal and teenagers playing in it risk a greater increased chance of having a short career in it. Bruma is 19, it makes eminent sense to do all we can to allow him to play in a first team while retaining his registration. These teenagers we have all want first team play, they wouldn't be worth the investment if they didn't. They may not have no fear, but the older wiser heads do. Yes there is dual purpose in not upsetting the senior player clique yet I believe when a young player stops being a Chelsea loanee and becomes a player for another team is down to the players. I think Chelsea just want as many irons in the fire as they can juggle. Being part of the juggling act gets in the way of ambition and that is when they players move on.
