Everton and Chelsea continue to talk over Atsu deal

Cristian Atsu's proposed loan move to Everton has stalled - but talks are continuing between the two clubs.

The Ghana winger was expected to complete a temporary move to Goodison over the weekend but Chelsea are unwilling to let him go unless he is guaranteed to play regular first-team football.

Everton are right to resist Chelsea trying to dictate their selection policy and will not offer guarantees that he will play.

Chelsea have apparently requested a  recall clause in January should Atsu not be playing regularly enough for their liking, something again snubbed by Everton.

The impasse highlights the flaws in  Chelsea's controversial transfer policy. The Londoners continue to hoover up as many teenage talents across the world as possible before farming them out on loan.

They then hope to either recall the player and integrate them into the first team or sell them on at a massive profit to help them pass Financial Fair Play regulations.

It is well within the rules, though the treatment of young players as some kind of trading commodity cannot be good for youth development on the long term. While smaller clubs are deprived of potential transfer fees by having their academy players taken off their hands at a younger and younger age.

You also have problems with players like Atsu, who Chelsea clearly don't want to risk playing in their first-team, but don't want anyone else to have him either.

They would rather another club give him first-team football on a temporary basis now and allow Chelsea to reap the benefits later.

The plight of Victor Moses is still fresh in their minds, with the forward's value on the wane after a season in the wilderness at Liverpool.

Despite the current stalemate relations between Everton and Chelsea remain strong, which gives us hope that a deal can be struck.

There may be some sort of financial incentive similar to that in the Gerard Deulofeu deal, whereby Everton will pay less of a loan fee the more he plays.

Either way the two clubs are continuing a dialogue, with Liverpool Echo reporter Greg O'Keefe saying a deal could even be struck by the end of this week.