Chelsea have reportedly decided to move away from the loan strategy that was implemented during the Roman Abramovich era.
In the near two-decade stay of the Russian oligarch, the Premier League giants made a habit of signing players with the view of immediately sending them out on loan.
Some of the players in question never had any realistic chance of ever representing the Chelsea first team, the Blues instead targeting eventual profit from their respective development elsewhere.
However, FIFA has recently moved to clamp down on such models, forcing Chelsea and a number of other teams to reassess their methods.
The new regulations state that only seven players can be loaned to foreign clubs, criteria which will majorly hit Chelsea as soon as this summer.
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Chelsea will be under pressure to significantly reduce their playing numbers in order to boost their FFP position and take into account a reduced fixture list.
Finding temporary homes abroad for some of their prospects could have aided their efforts, and it is an avenue which Chelsea still plan on using.
Nevertheless, according to the Evening Standard, the West Londoners will only send players who may have a future at the club to foreign teams.
The report suggests that Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart - the club's sporting directors - do not want to waste the now-restricted slots on players who are not likely to challenge for a first-team spot further down the line.
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Such a development will have ramifications in numerous ways, particularly in the case of Romelu Lukaku who has been tipped to return to Inter Milan on loan.
Chelsea will allegedly look to arrange permanent transfers unless they feel that they can benefit from any arrangement with a team competing abroad.
While that may ring true in the case of Lukaku, it is stated that only prospects will be considered for loan stints outside of the United Kingdom.
Mauricio Pochettino, who is likely to be appointed as Chelsea's new head coach, is allegedly toying with the idea of handing Lukaku another chance in the senior ranks.
Darren Plant
