Charlton Athletic are leading the race to sign Chelsea's Academy Player of the Year Conor Gallagher on loan for the 2019/20 campaign.
The 19-year-old travelled with the Blues first team for the first pre-season match in Ireland this summer, before being one of the eight players to return to Cobham after the match with Bohemians.
The Blues have been looking to loan out the youngster for his first season in senior football and football.london understands the Addicks are the club closest to sealing the move.
Charlton secured Championship status once again at the end of last season, beating Sunderland 2-1 in the League One play-off final.
After a bizarre statement saying that manager Lee Bowyer had left the club, they did a U-turn on the negotiations and the former West Ham midfiielder finally put pen to paper on a new deal.
The Addicks are now looking to build a squad for the Championship, with Macauley Bonne one of the new arrivals to The Valley.
Gallagher, himself a midfielder, is one of many Chelsea youngsters the club are looking to loan out this season to gain more senior experience.
Along with George McEachran, Gallagher was added to the Europa League 'B' List last season for Chelsea's final group stage match, however did not make the trip to face MOL Vidi.
However, he was named as one of the substitutes for the final in Baku, with the Blues hit with some injury problems, however was unused.
After an impressive season in the UEFA Youth League and Development Squad, Galllagher was named the Academy Player of the Year for the 2018/19 campaign.
This afternoon, Ethan Ampadu sealed his season-long loan move to RB Leipzig which will see him playing in the Bundesliga and the Champions League for the 2019/20 campaign.
Meanwhile, there are more youngsters to be heading out on loan this season with the 'Loan Army' to grow, even with the transfer ban still looming over the club.
