After three appearances in NINE years for Chelsea Lucas Piazon is set to leave Stamford Bridge

Lucas Piazon looks set to leave Chelsea after the club terminated his loan at Portuguese side Rio Ave ahead of a permanent move.

The former Brazilian wonderkid, who signed from Sao Paolo for £6.75million in 2012, has made just three appearances in nine years at Stamford Bridge, with seven separate loan spells away.

According to Goal, Chelsea are now looking to cut their losses on the 26-year-old who was touted as the ‘next Kaka’ when he arrived, with three unnamed clubs in discussions.

Chelsea have terminated Lucas Piazon’s loan spell at Rio Ave ahead of a permanent move

Piazon was touted as the ‘next Kaka’ but made three appearances in nine years for the Blues

Piazon’s seven loan spells

Malaga (2012-2013) 14 appearances, 2 assists

Vitesse (2013-2014) 31 appearances, 11 goals, 8 assists

Frankfurt (2014-2015) 23 appearances, 2 goals, 2 assists

Reading (2015-2016) 27 appearances, 5 goals, 3 assists

Fulham (2016-2018) 58 appearances, 12 goals, 9 assists

Chievo (2018-2019) 4 appearances

Rio Ave (2019- ) 36 appearances, 6 goals, 3 assists

<!—->Advertisement

Although Piazon has six months to go on his current deal with the Blues, an option for a one year extension means that they can still profit from his departure.

The midfielder last played for Chelsea more than eight years ago in December 2012, when he came on for 16 minutes of their 8-0 win against Aston Villa.

Since then he has been loaned out to Malaga, Vitesse, Frankfurt, Reading, Fulham, Chievo and finally Rio Ave, where he made 36 appearances.

His two-year spell at Fulham was perhaps the most fruitful as Piazon played 58 times for his parent club’s west London neighbours, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists.

Piazon has previously hit out at Chelsea’s use of the loan system, criticising the way the club treats players like him after multiple loan spells.

‘After a certain point the connection is no longer beneficial for both parties,’ he told Maisfutebol last year.

‘At first, I felt really good. I went through the U-23s, got to the first team and, even in the first loans, I felt Chelsea had expectations and interest in me.

‘I believed I could come back and have opportunities at any time.

‘Later, as time passed, I became just another business for them.

‘They send me out on loan with the expectation of selling me and making some money with me. I think that’s more or less what they think.’