Marco van Ginkel leaving Chelsea for fourth loan spell in January

Chelsea U23 coach Adi Viveash believes Marco van Ginkel will probably be shipped out for another loan spell in January rather than being afforded the opportunity to fight for a place in Antonio Conte's first-team setup following his latest return from injury.

Former AC Milan loanee Van Ginkel, who tore an anterior cruciate ligament on his full debut in English football three years ago, spent the first half of 2015-16 at Stoke City before returning to his native Netherlands to help PSV Eindhoven successfully defend their Eredivisie title. He appeared set to return to the Philips Stadion on another temporary deal this summer, only to see the move scuppered by a lingering knee problem that meant that he could not offer 100% commitment on a weekly basis.

Van Ginkel has been steadily building his match fitness of late and started for Chelsea's development squad alongside fellow knee injury victim Kurt Zouma in their penalty shootout Checkatrade Trophy victory over Oxford United on Tuesday evening (8 November).

And although impressive centre-back Zouma can surely expect to compete for a starting berth in Conte's successful three-man backline after completing his first 90 minutes for nine months at Stamford Bridge, Van Ginkel seems destined to play more youth football before completing another loan switch.

"Marco has a different programme to Kurt," Viveash was quoted as saying by Goal. "Kurt is a major part of the first team and Marco has had loans and trained in the first team before, but certainly since he has come back with us he has been trying to get his match minutes up before he goes out, I imagine, in January."

Viveash reiterated that Van Ginkel, who trained with Chelsea's other loan players during the summer, would be away now had he not had to receive an injection on his knee during pre-season. A revival of that second stint at PSV in January seems almost inevitable providing he suffers no further setbacks, with the 23-year-old not ruling out the possibility in a previous interview with De Telegraaf.

Van Ginkel would become the 39th Chelsea player to be sent out on loan this season and Viveash, who does not know where prolific young striker Tammy Abraham will play next season after his excellent run of scoring form for Championship outfit Bristol City, suspects that one or two of his older contingent will also seek to increase their exposure to first-team football when the transfer window re-opens for business in the New Year.

"This is a different group, we have a couple from this group that in January will probably be looking [to move on loan] at the older end," he said.