Player returns to Chelsea after EFL stint | OneFootball

Hull City midfielder Harvey Vale has returned to parent club Chelsea after his loan spell was cut short.

Vale joined the Tigers on a temporary basis in September, but struggled for game time at the MKM Stadium, making just three appearances for the club, the last of which came in the recent FA Cup home defeat to Fulham.

The 19-year-old was one of three Blues players to make the move to East Yorkshire in the summer along with Nathan Baxter and Xavier Simons, but he has frequently been left out of the matchday squad by Liam Rosenior.

According to journalist Nizaar Kinsella, Huddersfield Town and Wigan Athletic both enquired to take Vale on loan, but he will be unable to play for another club this season after featuring for Chelsea U21s in the Papa John’s Trophy earlier in the campaign.

Last week, Rosenior confirmed that the club were close ending Vale’s loan, admitting that he could provide him with the minutes he needs.

“We are on the verge of officially ending his [Harvey Vale] loan. That was a collaborative decision. That’s not Harvey wanted to leave this club, and that’s something where we felt for his development at this stage of his career, he needs the minutes and he needs first team football,” Rosenior told BBC Humberside.

“I can’t guarantee that with the great squad I’ve got here. Good luck to him, he’s a lovely lad, great kid and he’s got a lot of potential.”

However, Rosenior did express his desire to keep Simons and Baxter, with the former also receiving limited game time and the latter currently back at Stamford Bridge as he recovers from injury.

“It’s a different case entirely with them [Xavier Simons and Nathan Baxter]. I really like the both of them, obviously Nathan is going to be out for a long time. With Xavi, I love the kid, I think he’s got a great future in the game, and he’s someone I enjoy working with, and want to work with in the long-term,” Rosenior said.

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The verdict

This feels like the right decision for all parties.

Vale was unlikely to be given more opportunities and clearly did not feature in Rosenior’s plans, so there was little point in him remaining with the Tigers, although it will be frustrating that he is unable move elsewhere.

The contrast in Rosenior’s stance on Vale and Simons is intriguing given the pair have both had similarly few minutes and his comments about working with Simons long-term does suggest that Rosenior plans to bring him back next season.

There is evidently a lot of trust from Chelsea that the Tigers will develop their young players, but Vale’s move has not worked out and it is no surprise to see it ended prematurely.