Chelsea defender Todd Kane hopeful of mirroring Marcus Rashford success at Manchester United

Chelsea defender Todd Kane is hoping for the same luck which befell Marcus Rashford at Manchester United in order to force his way into the first team after 14 years at the Stamford Bridge club. Kane is currently in his fifth loan spell away from the Blues but remains optimistic he can yet make his debut for the club.

Currently with Eredivisie side NEC Nijemegen, the 22-year-old has spent time with Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers, Bristol Rovers and Nottingham Forest across the past four seasons but is seemingly no closer to being given first team exposure. The closest Kane has got to the west Londoners' matchday squad was for the 2012 Champions League final against Bayern Munich, when he travelled to Germany but was not selected.

Kane took a full part in the pre-match preparations and the celebrations that followed as Chelsea took the final to penalties after a late Didier Drogba goal, before the Ivorian struck the winning spot kick to clinch the club's first major European triumph. Kane relished a taste of the experience but admits he required a bout of good fortune if he is realise his dream of playing for Chelsea.

"I'm near enough on the 100 mark of senior appearances," he said, according to The Mirror. "It's been very good for me and you have to be realistic and know that only one or two will get opportunities at a big club like Chelsea. It's the same at somewhere like Manchester United. Let's be honest, Marcus Rashford got his chance at United because, to a degree, it's fallen into place. He's a great player but you have to get a bit of luck.

"I've learnt so much from being at Chelsea. From working and training with top quality players, I still speak to people from the club all the time, get advice from players, the Chelsea set-up is fantastic and I've definitely got no regrets."

Just three months out from the European Championships, the promotion of young players into the biggest clubs in the Premier League is a topic of much debate. United's injury crisis has forced them into calling in the likes of Rashford, with significant success, into their first team but many clubs would prefer to dip into the transfer market than entrust their young players.

Among those was former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who rarely gave those from the club's academy an opportunity and Kane admits to being let down by the Portuguese coach's selection policy. "I went away on a pre-season with Jose and that was a great experience," he added. "But I felt he had his own ideas and my chances were very limited. That was dispiriting.

"I've been at the club since I was about seven or eight, and if I'd been given my opportunity and not taken it, then I'd hold up my hands and say, 'OK, I'll go somewhere else. Chelsea are good for the players out on loan. The technical director, Michael Emenalo, is a clever man, stays in regular contact and gives you a lot of encouragement.

"Cesar Azpilicueta is a terrific full-back, you can learn so much from him, as I've also done from Paulo Ferreira in the past. But maybe there's a second position up for grabs and I'm hoping to prove I'm ready."