PREMIER LEAGUE: Five loanees that could return to help Chelsea.

5 Chelsea loan players that could help the Blues right now.

Mario Pašalić - Monaco.

The 20 year old Croatian midfielder is currently on loan at French side Monaco after spending last season in La Liga with Elche. Replacing Geoffrey Kondogbia in the side after he was sold to Italian giants Inter Milan, it was an unenviable task for a player as young as Pašalić.

However he’s performed incredibly well for the club this season beginning his time there with a goal in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier against Young Boys.

Bringing a wealth of benefits, he arguably operates best as a box to box midfielder. That would in turn allow him to fill the void left by one of his idols - Frank Lampard. While Pašalić is often compared to compatriot Luka Modric, it’s a lame one. Much taller than Modric and more physically imposing, he also lacks the creativity and craft that the Real Madrid midfielder possesses.

However his skills would make him ideal for the Chelsea midfield assuming he was played alongside Nemanja Matic. Providing more of a defensive shield, he would not only support the former Benfica man but also allow the team to quickly transition from defence to attack with his passing.

Whether Monaco would let him go in January remains to be seen but he’s certainly worth considering.

Andreas Christensen - Borussia Mönchengladbach.

A Danish defender, Christensen is highly rated by Chelsea fans that follow the club’s reserve and youth teams.

Handed a brief exposure to the Chelsea first team last season he was part of the side that lost 4-2 to Bradford City at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup, although it would be unfair to evaluate him on one game.

Now a senior Danish international he was sent to German side Borussia Mönchengladbach this summer with the intention of getting more first team experience. Initially struggling - along with the rest of his teammates - he is now performing extremely well in a Gladbach shirt.

Voted the club’s player of the month for October his form helped them remain unbeaten in five matches, a run which saw them concede just three goals in the process.

Clearly a precocious talent, handing him a starting place at Stamford Bridge may be seen as a risky decision but it could prove a masterstroke in the long run if he is granted the opportunity to settle into the back four.

Patrick Bamford - Crystal Palace

Although he may be on loan at Crystal Palace this season Patrick Bamford can still see Stamford Bridge from his West London apartment. The 22 year old forward was wanted by a host of clubs during the summer including Real Sociedad in Spain.

Citing a need to show he could perform in the Premier League, he opted to stay in the capital and join Palace on loan. Unfortunately for Bamford he has only seen 49 minutes of Premier League action spread across three games (two of which Palace were losing when he entered).

Manager Alan Pardew has acknowledged that they may need to evaluate the situation in January, with reports claiming the forward could leave Palace to join former club Middlesbrough for a second loan spell.

While a return to the Championship will give him regular match time it may be shrewder for Jose Mourinho to welcome him into the fold at Chelsea. That’s because Bamford isn’t just intelligent off the field, with his movement and understanding of he game impressive for someone so young.

Showing a good talent in front of goal while at Boro, he would give Mourinho a fresh option from the bench to compliment the likes of Diego Costa and Loic Remy. Meanwhile Bamford gets the benefit of learning from two of the Premier League’s best strikers in training which will bring his game on significantly.

Juan Cuadrado - Juventus

By far the most established name on our list, Cuadrado has been impressive during his loan spell with Juventus.

Rated by WhoScored.com as Juve’s best player this season he also managed to provide a vital match winning goal in the recent derby with Torino - netting in injury time. “That was the most important goal of my career,” Cuadrado said afterwards. “It’s a wonderful feeling.”

That has lead reports claiming the Bianconeri are trying to agree a permanent deal for the 27 year old with a price quoted at €20million. Representing a significant loss on the fee Chelsea paid Fiorentina for his services it may not be the wisest idea for the club to give up on him just yet.

Instead the Blues might be better served giving the Colombian a second chance to establish himself at Stamford Bridge. A solid ball carrier he has averaged a successful dribble once every 23.8 minutes (Source: WhoScored) this season for Juventus.

That asset could be important for the Blues as they look to move the ball quickly from back to front. Equally he would also add to their options out wide, with Mourinho’s team looking somewhat narrow against Stoke City last time out.

Nathan Aké - Watford

During an interview recently Patrick Bamford revealed that the numerous Chelsea loan players all converse in a WhatsApp group. It allows them to keep in touch and inform each other of how their time away from Stamford Bridge is going.

One man that may have done less talking there and more on the pitch is Nathen Aké. The Dutch youngster was sent to Watford at the start of the season. Arriving at the club amid a host of other new faces, many of whom had more pedigree and bigger reputations, that hasn’t stopped the Dutchman slotting in neatly at left-back.

An incredibly versatile youngster that is able to operate at centre-back, left-back or in midfield, he admitted recently he has never seen a consistent run of games in his current position of left-back. “I’m learning more and more every week,” Aké told Watford’s official website with a big smile across his face.

Another youngster that could benefit from exposure to the Chelsea first team, his versatility and in particular his brilliant tackling ability could add some bite to the defence. Eager to push forward, against West Ham recently he was lethal on both ends of the ball, nullifying another Chelsea loanee Victor Moses before assisting Odion Ighalo’s opener.

Follow Kristan Heneage @Kheneage