Has this Chelsea loanee found his best form prior to his return to Stamford Bridge?

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It hasn’t been the most conventional route into the Chelsea ranks for Michael Hector. He was originally recruited from non-league football in 2009 having faced Reading in a pre-season friendly and impressed the club’s officials enough to earn himself a scholarship in Berkshire. He then went on no less than 9 loan stints away from the Madejski, slowly working his way up the divisions by way of Dundalk in the League of Ireland, Aberdeen, and even Bracknell Town among others.

Following his loan away at Aberdeen in the 2013/14 season, it was here that Reading finally decided that Hector was worth a shot in the first team. He then grabbed the opportunity with both hands and went on to become a regular starter for the Royals over the next 2 and a half years.

It was following this breakthrough that the imposing Jamaican international managed to get his dream move to Chelsea following regular strong performances for the Royals; as well as at the Gold Cup where he formed a solid partnership with Wes Morgan to play a role in the side that reached the final before ultimately falling to Mexico.

So, what can Chelsea fans expect from Michael Hector should he find himself securing a place on a pre-season tour with his new employers? The short answer is physicality. Hector is a very strong and athletic player who rarely finds himself losing out in a battle of strength and standing at 6ft 4”- he rarely finds struggling aerially against many Championship forwards. In addition to this, he is a self-confessed ball-playing centre half who likes to get the ball down on the deck and try and move it out of defence.

Hector is also very strong in the tackle and it has not become an uncommon sight for many an opposition forward to end up face down in the turf with Hector striding away with the ball. Whilst representing Jamaica in the Copa América last season, not even Lionel Messi escaped this treatment as he was left flattened by a typically strong challenge by the Chelsea loanee.

This has particularly become the case as Hector has been utilised more in holding midfield by Brian McDermott since his return to Berkshire late last year. The imposing Jamaican international has also put in some very assured performances from this position and has really settled down and found a real rhythm sitting just in front of the back four. This new found versatility could find itself as a big positive for Hector as he arrives at Stamford Bridge over the summer. It is in this position that he has really impressed a number of Reading fans and it could be a role that he finds himself holding onto for the foreseeable future if he continues to grow in the position at the same rate that he has done in recent months.

Hector is definitely still a work in progress however, he still makes the odd error as you would expect any centre-half his age to do. Although, he will have a real opportunity to flourish when he trains with some of the best coaches and players in the World and this could see him become the finished product very quickly if he is given an opportunity. He is held in high regard by many Reading fans and it would be a real shame to see another talented young player be on the negative end of Chelsea’s loan system.

He will be a big miss once he departs from the Madejski Stadium at the end of the current campaign and Reading will certainly have a job on their hands trying to replace the £4.5m man. There was originally talk of Hector returning to Chelsea in January as they were still reeling from their poor start to the season and it was thought that he was a potential fix for this issue. However, Reading managed to keep hold of their player for the remainder of his loan agreement which may have aided Hector’s development as it would have most likely guaranteed him more senior football than his early return to Chelsea may have.

Michael Hector definitely has all the physical tools required to be a top player, it is just a case of whether he can make a breakthrough at a top side like Chelsea. His move to Stamford Bridge definitely gives Hector the best chance of fulfilling his potential that was spotted back in the summer of 2009. He will need to improve on the technical and mental side of his game but as a lifelong Chelsea fan, it won’t be through a lack of effort – that’s for sure.

Featured image: all rights reserved by Edmund Gall.