Chelsea have loaned out 38 players on their books this summer. They placed players at clubs as diverse as Ajax, Schalke 04, AC Milan, Belgian club Mouscron and the English seventh-tier club Metropolitan Police.

Including those loanees, the number of professional players on Chelsea's website is 78. Manchester City has 68 with 27 loanees.

The increasing trend among top clubs is to bolster their "development squads" with players who look good for, but are often not guaranteed, a career at the top. 

Although loan moves can be a bonus for development, playing for a different team each season does little to keep a player on a steady developmental curve.