GOALKEEPER Rhys Evans is looking for a loan deal after finding his path to the Premiership blocked by foreign imports.

The 19-year-old from Swindon believes regular first-team football is the only way he will be able to fulfil his ambition of making the grade at Chelsea.

His request comes in the same week as England Under-21 international full back Jon Harley went to Wimbledon on loan for three months for the same reason.

Ed de Goey, Carlo Cudicini and veteran Kevin Hitchcock stand in Evans' way for the Chelsea goalkeeper's jersey.

He said: "I have to get some experience and that means I have to go out on loan. I need to be playing regular first-team football at the moment.

"I don't want to leave Chelsea but it will be hard for me to develop as a keeper if I am not playing all the time."

Evans was told by former Blues boss Gianluca Vialli that he would be the regular reserve team goalkeeper this season.

However, since the arrival of Claudio Ranieri last month, the new coach has put 38-year-old Hitchcock in goal for the second string to Evans' disappointment.

He said: "Kevin is now reaching the end of his career and doesn't really want to be playing in the reserves. He has told me it is what I should be doing at this stage of my career."

Evans, who has already represented England at Under-15 and Under-16 as well as playing 32 times for the national youth side, has been tipped for great things but is concerned that his opportunity may pass him by.

He said: "I've been told by the England Under-18's manager Martin Hunter that I'm his first choice keeper and he will be putting me forward to Howard Wilkinson for the Under-21 squad.

"The problem is all three of the players in front of me are playing first-team football. Nick Weaver is at Manchester City, Paul Robinson has been given his chance at Leeds and Arsenal's Stuart Taylor is on loan at Crystal Palace.

"I will not be able to compete for a place with these guys until I am in the same position."

Evans played four games for Bristol Rovers, who face Town at the County Ground this afternoon.

Their current keeper is Nicky Culkin, who has been signed on a year's loan from Manchester United.

Although the longest a player can be on loan during mid-season is three months, Evans wants a similar deal and he would also be keen to join his home town club.

He said: "A move somewhere like Swindon would be ideal for me. That's the sort of club I want to play for.

"I had four games for Rovers last year but it got a bit political between the two clubs and I had to come back.

He fears it could be a matter of now or never and is keen to get into regular action as soon as possible.

He said: "People are saying that I now need to get some experience but I don't want them to be saying the same thing when I am 25.

"Joe Cole is younger than me and people are talking about him playing for the full England team.

"If you are good enough, you are old enough and I just want to be given the chance to show what I can do."

The former Kingsdown schoolboy previously trained with Swindon but left after his goalkeeping coach Nicky Hammond departed.

Chelsea signed him and he eventually attended the FA's national School of Excellence at Lilleshall.