At 17, he had the world at his feet. Having rejected offers from Real Madrid and Manchester United, he had made his debut for Chelsea, and had been mightily impressive. Being used off the bench often, and not only when the game was already won, either. Slowly, this began to turn into starts, including one away in the Champions League group stages at the notoriously imposing Stade Velodrome. Then this all changed. The manager who had been willing to use him, and excited at the prospect he could be, was sacked, and in came one who despite being charged with turning the aging squad around, loaned one of the best young prospects out. One loan turned into another, and loan after loan, manager after manager who promised game time to choose that club to join and then didn’t give him game time, or when he did, did it in a position or system that didn’t suit his qualities. Soon, the boy wonder that was billed to be the English Xavi, was being sold to the Championship for a transfer fee under a million pounds.
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| Josh McEachran in first team action in the 2010/11 season under Carlo Ancelotti |
