Chelsea and USMNT defender Miazga set to join Anderlecht on season-long loan

Nizaar Kinsella

Chelsea and USMNT defender Miazga set to join Anderlecht on season-long loan image

Chelsea defender Matt Miazga is set to join Anderlecht on a season-long loan, which has finally been agreed after he overcame a pre-season injury.

The U.S. men's national team centre-back is fully fit once again and has chosen to move to the Belgian giants following conversations with Vincent Kompany, who moved to manage his former club following his retirement after a legendary career at Manchester City.

It will be the 25-year-old's fourth loan club after spells at Vitesse, where he spent two seasons between 2016 and 2018, Nantes and Reading, where he spent half of 2018-19 and all of last season.

Miazga originally signed for Chelsea from the New York Red Bulls in January 2016 after coming up through their academy and becoming a key member of the team.

At the international level, Miazga has earned 18 caps with the USMNT after making his debut for his country in November 2015.

Ross Barkley became the 20th Chelsea loanee when he joined Aston Villa on Wednesday, but the group is set to grow beyond 30 before the transfer window closes on October 5.

With Chelsea having brought in a number of new faces during the transfer window, the club is now looking to move players out as they clear room on their roster. 

Midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko is another player who could depart, with the Frenchman in talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a loan move ahead of the transfer deadline.

Antonio Rudiger could be an unlikely departure from Stamford Bridge after the Germany international quickly fell down the pecking order under Frank Lampard. Tottenham, PSG, Roma and Barcelona are all eyeing a move for the 27-year-old defender.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri are just a few of the other first-team players who have been linked with an exit from the club in recent weeks. 

Alonso's exit could be hastened after the Spanish left-back was lambasted by Lampard at half-time of the Blues' 3-3 draw with West Brom at the weekend. 

Alonso is understood to have watched the second half from the team bus after being substituted at the halfway mark with the Blues down 3-0. 

Nizaar Kinsella

Nizaar Kinsella Photo

Nizaar Kinsella is a Chelsea correspondent with experience covering international football at the World Cup and European Championships. He is a trusted voice within the Chelsea community, attending almost every game and having spent many years doing so. Coverage on Goal.com has seen him invited onto CNN, BBC Radio 5 Live, TalkSport and BeINSports to comment on the turbulent world of the Stamford Bridge club. He previously worked for the Daily Mirror and BBC Radio Manchester, as well as a period working in the UK charity sector.