Danny Drinkwater to return to Chelsea after Burnley loan

Drinkwater played just once in the Premier League for Burnley, in the 4-1 home defeat to Manchester City on December 3, having also started the shock 3-1 home loss to Sunderland in the EFL Cup in August.

London:Three-timed capped England international Danny Drinkwater is all set to return to his parent club after failing to establish himself whilst on loan. Drinkwater will return to Chelsea this month after making just two appearances for Burnley since joining on loan.

Clarets gaffer Sean Dyche while speaking at a press conference confirmed that the former Leicester City man would be heading back to Stamford Bridge.

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Dyche said: "He will go back, just for football reasons. I have a big respect for him and I like him as a player. He just hasn’t had the pitch time.

"He has been a credit to himself with his professionalism, apart from the incident. He has looked after himself and tried to be part of the group. He has just not had the game time that he needs.

"There was an incident that was unfortunate and cost a lot more time than we thought. My respect for him as high as a person and a player.

"It does heighten the need [for a replacement] but you have to have the players available, finance and all the things that align.

"It is even tougher in a window that is [already] tough. There are only so many targets that fit our model. There is nothing that is looking open to us."

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Drinkwater played just once in the Premier League for Burnley, in the 4-1 home defeat to Manchester City on December 3, having also started the shock 3-1 home loss to Sunderland in the EFL Cup in August.

The 29-year-old had said that it was "time to get my career back on track" before joining Burnley on loan after a complicated time at Chelsea.

"It was a bit of a complicated time at Chelsea, but I see this as a positive move and I'm looking forward to getting going," he said.

Drinkwater had managed to play only 23 times for the Blues since his arrival at Stamford Bridge for a reported 35 million pound transfer from Leicester City after helping the Foxes in their shocking Premier League title triumph in 2015-16.

As per reports, Aston Villa can sign the midfielder on loan for the remainder of the season.