Chelsea are in advanced talks with Portsmouth over a loan move for highly-rated winger Ryan Kavuma-McQueen.
The loan has moved forward after the Blues explored several potential destinations for the 17-year-old across the Championship and League One.
The Chelsea Spot reports that Portsmouth are now in advanced negotiations with Chelsea, having emerged from a group of EFL clubs interested in the teenager.
A temporary move would represent the next significant step for a player who has developed rapidly through Cobham.
Chelsea’s official profile describes Kavuma-McQueen as an energetic and clinical winger who joined the Academy at Under-8 level. He signed his first professional contract in January and made his senior debut against Port Vale in April.
Ryan Kavuma-McQueen Portsmouth loan moves closer
Chelsea have been considering whether senior football would benefit Kavuma-McQueen despite his age.
The winger travelled with Xabi Alonso’s squad during pre-season and assisted Dastan Satpayev against Western Sydney Wanderers.
However, regular EFL minutes may offer a better development pathway than remaining on the fringes of Alonso’s first-team squad.
Chelsea have already used the loan market for several young players this summer. ReadChelsea previously covered Max Merrick’s season-long move to Hartlepool as the club continued mapping out development plans for its academy prospects.
Kavuma-McQueen would be a particularly notable case because of his age.
He impressed across Chelsea’s youth teams last season, won the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award in March and finished the campaign by scoring twice in the Under-18 national final.
Portsmouth could now give him the opportunity to test those qualities against senior opposition every week.
No agreement has yet been announced, but advanced talks suggest Chelsea are moving closer to deciding where one of Cobham’s brightest attacking prospects will spend the season.
