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Dutch second division club SC Telstar announced the addition of Chelsea midfielder Kyle Scott on loan. According to the club’s official website, the 20-year old American “has a personal agreement and closes next week if all the paperwork is in order.”
Telstar, based in the northern port city of IJmuiden, finished last season in sixth place in the Eerste Divisie with 61 points from 38 matches. The club provided a stable environment for American attacker Andrija Novakovich, who scored 19 goals while on loan from Reading. Telstar opens the 2017-2018 season against RKC Waalwijk on Friday, August 17th.
Scott made his debut with Chelsea’s senior team last season, playing 28 minutes in the club’s fifth round victory over Hull City. He featured regularly with the club’s reserve side, making 36 appearances in the Premier League 2 and an addition 26 spread across the UEFA Youth League, FA Youth Cup, and the EFL Trophy. Scott has suited up for three different youth national teams (United States, Ireland, and England), but most recently appeared with the U.S. under-20s in 2015.
Despite an accolade-laden youth career with Chelsea, Scott has been unable to break through at the senior level. His current contract runs through the summer of 2019, but perhaps this is a sign that he is viewing an eventual move away from Stamford Bridge. Scott attempted to force a transfer in 2016, but was unable to secure it even though “a host of top European clubs” were reportedly “showing interest.”
Now he joins the fabled “Chelsea loan army”, a widespread group that can include upwards of 30 players per season. Few make it back to the first team, but most end up impressing enough to earn a decent move elsewhere. If Scott is going to make the jump to the USMNT, then he needs to start earning consistent playing time at the professional level. While a loan to the Dutch second division may seem like a steep drop-off, Telstar presents an opportunity to develop and serve as a springboard into a more suitable club situation.