Jamie Gittens has become a forgotten figure at Chelsea, with the winger yet to make an appearance in the Premier League this season. But while there is January interest in the 22-year-old, the Blues should be reluctant to let him go.

Gittens was a player touted as the next Jadon Sancho when he broke into the Borussia Dortmund first team in 2022. A young English winger who found himself in Germany after a spell in the Manchester City academy, the comparisons were irresistible.

Carried by this reputation but without necessarily producing the end product for BVB, he joined Chelsea for €56 million in July 2025.

His career in West London, though, has stalled. He has made only 29 appearances and has scored only one goal. Things arguably hit a new low when he was replaced at half-time in the EFL Cup victory over Leeds, having been given his first chance to start a game in 2026.

He’s not been helped by injury. A hamstring problem saw him sit out the final four months of last season and an ankle concern has seen him miss the last month. But there’s no apparent end to this slide.

Now the Sancho comparisons are apt because of his rapid downfall.

Jamie Gittens still has world-class potential

Understandably, there is a transfer narrative building around the 22-year-old. Gazzetta dello Sport reports that Roma are tracking him with one eye on a loan deal if they cannot get their hands on Real Madrid’s Endrick.

Such a solution offers hope to both Gittens and Chelsea that they can get out of this unhealthy position.

The situation is all the more remarkable given that Gittens still has the potential to be one of the world’s best players, according to data analytics experts SciSports.

If everything comes together for him, he has the capacity to be a top-20 player in the world, according to the data analytics’ firm SciSkill measure, which is calculated using hundreds of in-game data points.

Gittens’ maximum value is 136.8, which puts him ahead of the likes of Jeremy Doku and Yan Diomande.

The question for both Chelsea and Gittens himself, is how he reaches that level – or at least how does he stop his current slide?

Regaining fitness is the first requirement, but beyond that, it appears impossible in the current environment.

Xabi Alonso’s system has already complicated life for Willian Estevao, who is a more popular and more established winger than Gittens at Stamford Bridge. It appears the Brazilian will not leave in January, but the very fact there is speculation over such an exciting prospect’s future shows how difficult it is for wide players to cut it currently with the Blues.

The Roma solution

Gittens’ future therefore has to lie away from Chelsea, and Roma’s offer of a loan deal is a strong one.

Not only does it clear a wage off the books, but it will present the winger to get his career back on track after a difficult 18 months.

Roma also have a history of rebuilding careers after such spells. Chris Smalling thrived in Italy after becoming a figure of fun at Manchester United, while Donyell Malen finally seems to have found the consistency that eluded him with Aston Villa and Dortmund.

But a switch to Italy isn’t foolproof. Evan Ferguson’s career did not achieve the lift off he had hoped for when sent on a similar loan from Brighton in 2025 for example.

SciSports, however, rates the deal as a promising one for the winger. Roma score an impressive 75 in its Career Advice algorithm, which is calculated using a variety of metrics. Crucially, the Serie A side have five stars for playing time – something he so desperately needs.

Gittens faces a critical few weeks in his career. He needs out of Chelsea, but he also needs to find a club where he can play, regain his confidence and then start to rebuild his career towards what it might still become.