Another Chelsea youngster is heading away from Stamford Bridge.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 21, will spend the 2017-18 season on loan a Crystal Palace with the powerful midfielder unable to get regular minutes for Chelsea last season.
Antonio Conte rates the England U-21 star highly, but Loftus-Cheek couldn’t break in to Chelsea’s title-winning team and the Chelsea academy product will be hoping the loan move to south London will help his development.
Speaking about his move to Selhurst Park, Loftus-Cheek believes it can give him the chance to kick his career on.
“I had the option of coming to Palace and I thought that it would be great for me,” Loftus-Cheek said. “I live not too far away, I was born in Lewisham and Palace is good club so I thought it’s a good chance to play here and be a part of the team. They have a very strong team and I’d like to be a part of that this season.”
This is Loftus-Cheek’s first loan move away from Chelsea as the academy product has made 32 appearances and scored two goals over the past three seasons for the first team. He has won two Premier League titles with Chelsea and Jose Mourinho began to put him into the team during the 2014-15 campaign, famously saying he would become a full England international.
Loftus-Cheek’s departure is the latest in a long line for a crop of talented youngsters who can’t break into Chelsea’s first team despite winnint domestic and European titles at youth level for the Blues. Nathan Ake has joined Bournemouth on a permanent deal this summer, Ola Aina has joined Hull City on loan, Tammy Abraham has moved to Swansea City on loan and Nathaniel Chalobah is also expected to head out on a season-long loan to a Premier League club.
After losing central midfielders Joe Ledley and Mathieu Flamini who both became free agents, Loftus-Cheek fills a big void in Frank De Boer‘s midfield as the Dutchman plans to give younger players a chance at Selhurst. James McArthur, Yohan Cabaye and Jason Puncheon will all compete with Loftus-Cheek for a role in central midfield.
A powerful run and slick passer, this loan move will likely make or break Loftus-Cheek’s career. He will have the chance to prove he is worthy of a regular starting spot in the Premier League and, like most of his former academy teammates at Chelsea, that will likely be outside of Stamford Bridge in the future.
