Atsu just couldn’t get time on the pitch in the Premier League. Something just won’t quite click for him here yet.
Which is worrying.
First he went and spent a season on loan at Everton. Where he barely made a dent in their first team.
Then, with everyone naturally excited to see him play in the Premier League properly this time, he moved to newcomers Bournemouth.
Surely this would mean more game time.
You’d be wrong.
He struggled with injuries and generally to break into their first team.
Now 24, Atsu is no longer a youth player. He should, by all intents and purposes, be thought of as a senior professional.
It’s really no surprise that Atsu then has moved on loan again, this time overseas.
Malaga will be his new destination until the end of the season.
Chelsea’s official website gave a brief enough statement:
“The Ghana international, 24, spent the first half of the season on loan with Bournemouth in the Premier League, and will now continue his development in La Liga for the rest of the 2015/16 campaign.”
There we have it. Atsu will ‘continue his development’.
Malaga themselves are having an indifferent season. Currently sitting 12th, they’ve won 6, drawn 6 and lost 9.
Hopefully this means opportunities for Atsu to help them turn their season into something more than average.
Providing he stays injury free of course.
It will also be interesting to see how he adapts to the Spanish style of football with this being his first foray into the Spanish game.
Granted it shouldn’t take too much adapting given he has spent time in Portugal with both Porto and Rio Ave.
Atsu is yet to make a senior appearance for Chelsea.
He follows Papy Djilobodji, Alex Kiwomya and Mitchell Beeney out the door on loan as players both senior and youth level look to gain first team experience.
