Chelsea have confirmed that defender Michael Hector is set to leave the club to join Fulham, when the deal becomes permanent in January 2020. 

The Jamaican international spent last season on loan with Sheffield Wednesday, and was hugely impressive in his time at Hillsborough.

He made 37 league appearances in total for the Owls as they finished 12th in the Championship last term, although they didn't make a permanent offer to land his signature.

Fulham have seemingly won the race for Hector, and the defender will train with Scott Parker's side until the move is officially completed in January.

Hector has a wealth of experience under his belt in the Championship, having also played for Reading, where he progressed through the academy ranks before breaking into the first-team.

But since he moved to Chelsea in 2015, Hector is yet to feature in a competitive match for the Blues, which will be frustrating for the 27-year-old.

He could be in line to make his debut for the Lilywhites against his former club Reading on New Year's Day.

Scott Parker's side will be looking to win promotion back into the Premier League at the first time of asking, following their relegation from the top-flight last season.

The Verdict: 

This is the best move for both parties.

Hector isn't going to be featuring for Chelsea anytime soon, and he won't have been short of offers from Championship clubs who were keen to sign him.

Fulham lacked strength in depth in defensive areas of their team, so this is a smart bit of business by Scott Parker to land Hector's signature.