Ethan Ampadu will be unable to play for Sheffield United against Chelsea in the FA Cup quarter final.
The 20-year-old is spending the campaign on loan at Bramall Lane and has become a mainstay of Chris Wilder's side in recent months.
Ampadu has completed 90 minutes in 14 of the Blades' last 15 games. The only match he was absent for was the 2-1 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.
The Wales international was ineligible to face the Blues in the Premier League this season and it is the same situation in the FA Cup for the young defender, who has played in all of United's games in the competition so far.
The competition rules state: "The Association will not give permission for players on loan or work experience to play against the lending club."
It has also been confirmed by our colleagues at The Examiner that Chelsea wrote into the terms of the loan that Ampadu would be unable to play in any match against his parent club.
Ampadu's loan at Sheffield United is his second away from Stamford Bridge.
The versatile defender joined the Blues in the summer of 2017 from Exeter City and made an immediate impression.
He made seven first-team appearances under Antonio Conte and played five times for the senior side following Maurizio Sarri's appointment.
When Frank Lampard took charge, it was decided Ampadu needed regular game time to continue his development and he was sent out to German club RB Leipzig for the 2019/20 campaign.
He played only seven times for the Bundesliga side, however, which is why Lampard decided Ampadu needed another season away from Stamford Bridge.
"We had the conversation, he expressed the importance of playing games, which I expressed to him as well because in the last couple of seasons I had not played a lot,” the midfielder told Yorkshire Live in September.
“He said that he felt this was a good option. He gave me the confidence believing in this place.
“He said he wants to see me play games in the Premier League, so hopefully that what’s I can do.”
Ampadu has managed to do so at Bramall Lane but will have yet another manager to impress in Thomas Tuchel when he returns to Stamford Bridge in the summer.
