Ruben Loftus-Cheek has been linked with a loan move to Spain, but I think he should fight for his place in the Chelsea setup.
Chelsea are known for their notorious loan system, one which hasn’t served players well in the past. Ruben Loftus-Cheek should look to avoid this, even if it means sitting the odd game on the bench.
According to the Mirror, the 22 year old is subject to a loan move to Spain. While this could benefit him massively, it would be a shame to see this happen. He has the ability to break into the Chelsea midfield, and let’s face it, should he go on loan, his career in London will basically be over.
Breaking into a star-studded midfield.
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Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying it will be easy. Chelsea have their best midfield in years, one which is incredibly tough to break into. The likes of N’Golo Kante, Jorginho, Ross Barkley and of course, Mateo Kovacic on loan all make up the midfield line. This leaves Loftus-Cheek down in the pecking order alongside Cesc Fabregas.
However, Ross Barkley is known for his injuries, as he’s not the most strong-boned of the lot. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is the ideal replacement should Barkley find himself out of contention. The two share similar traits, but most of all, Loftus-Cheek is more than worthy of starting and Sarri will know that.
Let’s not forget, Chelsea will be playing in the Europa League this season. This is the perfect competition for Loftus-Cheek to get some minutes on the board. A similar thing happened with Ainsley Maitland-Niles at Arsenal last season, and Marcus Rashford at Manchester United a few seasons ago.
Style of play.
Loftus-Cheek could easily slot into a balanced midfield. With Kante winning balls left right and centre, Jorginho providing balls over the top and Mateo Kovacic dictating play – he could perform either of these roles. He would best fit into a box-to-box midfield role, though. This is again similar to Barkley.
We saw this for England at the World Cup, as he looked to drive forward whenever possible with the ball at his feet. Due to his tall frame, he is also able to contend for midfield aerial duels, which could be valuable given Kepa Arrizabalaga’s distribution.
To conclude, it’s not going to be easy for Loftus-Cheek. Given Chelsea’s wealth of options, it never is easy. But I do believe he has what it takes, and falling victim to the loan system would be a shame to witness.
What do you think is the best step for Loftus-Cheek’s career at Chelsea?