Chelsea Agree Pasalic Loan Deal To Elche

Chelsea have agreed principal terms to send promising youngster Mario Pasalic on loan to La Liga side Elche until the end of the season, IBTimes UK understands.

The Blues completed the signing of the 19-year old attacking midfielder just earlier this month from Croatian club Hajduk Split for an undisclosed fee – continuing Jose Mourinho's summer overhaul which has seen Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa and Filipe Luis moving to Stamford Bridge.

After the left-back's latest arrival, the Portuguese boss claims he won't be bringing new players to Stamford Bridge.

"We finished the market today. The transfer market closes 31 August and we close on July 19. My club did a fantastic job, not just because of what we bought, but because we did it in almost record time."

Now Mourinho's next job is to clear out the squad and in this sense it is understood that Pasalic will be on loan to Elche next season.

A number of clubs were chasing the midfielder in recent days but IBTimesUK understands that Elche was the successful suitor.

Close sources to the negotiations have confirmed to us that the clubs have already agreed the basic framework of the deal – and the Croatian will travel to Spain in the next hours to undergo a medical.

Elche also agreed personal terms with the player and it just remains to put pen on paper to close the deal, which may become official early this week.

Pasalic has represented Croatia at Under-21 level and was named in his country's 30-man provisional World Cup squad.

After completing his move to Chelsea earlier this month, he had expressed his satisfaction over the agreement.

"I am very happy because I am now a Chelsea player. I am very impressed by the training ground and I must thank everybody at Hajduk. This is now a new start in my career.

I am a central midfielder, my favourite player is Frank Lampard, and so I am very happy to be a Chelsea player."