Josh McEachran believes he has a realistic chance of breaking into Jose Mourinho's Chelsea plans.
The 21-year-old has’t featured for the Blues since January 2012, having spent time on loan at Swansea, Middlesbrough, Watford and Wigan, where he will remain for the rest of the campaign.
McEachran will have to fight it out with Nemanja Matic, John Obi Mikel, Frank Lampard and Ramires for a spot in the engine room when he returns to Stamford Bridge.
But the England Under-21 star, whose deal in west London runs for another two seasons, is confident he can force his way into the reckoning.
He told Get West London : “Chelsea is a top club, so I’m not just going to walk into a team full of world-class players. I need to be patient, keep playing games and hopefully one day get my chance.
“I’m a Wigan player at the moment but I’m still contracted to Chelsea and have got another two-and-a-half years left. At the end of the day I want to play for Chelsea. I still think that’s a realistic ambition.”
The Blues are keeping close tabs on McEachran, who burst onto the scene as a 17-year-old back in 2010 under Carlo Ancelotti.
“I still speak to Steve Holland, who is Mourinho’s assistant,” said the youngster. “He watches all of my games and tells me what I’m doing right and doing wrong.
“Eddie Newton comes to watch my games as well and gives me feedback. They don’t just send you out on loan and forget about you. They keep an eye on you.”
