Ruben Loftus-Cheek expected to remain with Chelsea

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri insists that Ruben Loftus-Cheek will remain at Stamford Bridge, but will have to be content with a diminished role in the side.

Loftus-Cheek enjoyed a fruitful loan spell with Crystal Palace last season, earning a place in Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad as a result.

 The England international is set to remain at Chelsea this season but is unlikely to have a starting role as Ross Barkley, Real Madrid loanee Mateo Kovacic, and Sarri’s midfield muse Jorginho are all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Loftus-Cheek was used as a substitute in Chelsea’s opening game against Huddersfield Town, but was left out altogether against Arsenal last Saturday.

“I decided to put two wingers and only one midfielder on the bench [against Arsenal],” Sarri said in explanation of Loftus-Cheek’s absence (via Goal).

“I have spoken with him twice this week after I spoke with the club, so I think that he will remain with us. We can speak again about his situation but I think only in December.”

Loftus-Cheek’s options

If the midfielder is intent on leaving west London then he has missed the opportunity to move to another Premier League club, as the English transfer window has already slammed shut.

Spanish, German and French clubs can still sign players until the end of August, however, and the Daily Mirror have reported that Valencia are interested in securing his services after failing to sign Man Utd midfielder Andreas Pereira on a permanent basis.

Meanwhile, the Guardian claims that the 22-year-old could be on his way to the Bundesliga to play for Schalke before the end of August.

If Loftus-Cheek doesn’t leave before the end of August there will still be plenty of English clubs interested in signing the burgeoning midfielder. Everton and Crystal Palace were among his suitors over the summer and could redouble their efforts to sign him next January.

Chelsea play Newcastle on Sunday but it remains to be seen if Loftus-Cheek will make the team.

The post Ruben Loftus-Cheek expected to remain with Chelsea appeared first on Squawka News.



From Squawka NewsSquawka News https://ift.tt/2wcO6d0

No comments:

Post a Comment