Chelsea youngster Mario Pasalic moves to Spain on loan

Chelsea midfielder Mario Pasalic has signed a season-long loan deal with Elche.

The 19-year-old only arrived at Stamford Bridge earlier this month from Croatian club Hajduk Split.

However, he has been moved out almost immediately to gain experience of playing senior football on a regular basis.

"I wanted to play in La Liga and my coach [Jose] Mourinho thought the best thing for me was to come to Spain to play against big teams," he told reporters.

"I'm grateful for this opportunity with Elche. I've come here because I believe I can be an important player and help the club have a good season."

Pasalic scored 11 goals in 32 appearances for Split last season.