Just two seasons ago, Ruben Loftus-Cheek was at the core of Chelsea’s future. He had grown in stature and reputation after a loan stint at Crystal Palace, made the plane to Russia in 2018 and was a standout player for Maurizio Sarri. Then came the injury and we have yet to see Loftus-Cheek reach the heights he was soaring at a few years ago. The Achilles injury that the Lewisham native suffered was devastating and the recovery was lengthy.
Loftus-Cheek missed an entire year of football as a result, and just as he was due back for Frank Lampard’s Chelsea, COVID stopped football and his return to Stamford Bridge was delayed. When he finally did return to SW6 he, understandably, looked like someone who hadn’t played in over a year. Still, there was optimism at Stamford Bridge that he would be able to recover and once again reach the heights that had him as a Blues mainstay for years to come. All he needed was some consistent football.
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Despite some flashes of the old Loftus-Cheek it was a poor campaign for Fulham. Certainly the team around him didn’t help, but even with his injury recovery, Loftus-Cheek was expected to be class above at Fulham. Fulhamish puts it a little starker, “to be clear; it’s not solely down to Loftus-Cheek that we are facing relegation. But he hasn’t helped; he’s been the ‘nearly man’ on a number of occasions.” Factor in the reputation that came with him of a talented, powerful runner and one who played in the World Cup for England at just 24 years old. Someone who had a decent shot on him, could link play and was growing a knack for entering the box late to finish off a passing move. None of it clicked at Fulham.
This is where it all gets a bit dicey for the now 25-year-old. He was expected to go to Fulham, work the rust off, and then shine for a team destined for relegation. That is easier said than done but he was expected to do more than he did—which was frequently stay too pedestrian or go missing in games.
What does the future hold for Ruben Loftus-Cheek at Chelsea?
It’s hard to say what happens with Loftus-Cheek now. He has been one of the prized potential players in England for quite some time, but that saying loses its lustre now he’s 25. He cannot really be considered in the young or potential category. Further to that, the Blues are stocked full to the brim in the midfield and that is even counting the departure of Billy Gilmour to Norwich on a season-long loan.
There is a chance that while most of the reasoning behind the Gilmour loan was to get him consistent game time in the Premier League, it could be because the Chelsea brass wish to clear a spot in the squad for Loftus-Cheek for one more go. For all of his talents, Tino Anjorin is not going to steal away that squad spot from Loftus-Cheek. Neither is Lewis Bate and for all those calling for Conor Gallagher to take that role, it makes little sense for his development to sit fifth in the pecking order. Gallagher is Loftus-Cheek’s only real competition if the Blues are looking to fill that spot in the squad internally. The 21-year-old enjoyed a successful loan at West Brom but needs another year at a Premier League level club to prove he is not just a one-season wonder.
Yet, even then, it is not straight forward for Loftus-Cheek because of the rumours surrounding Declan Rice and his possible return to Chelsea. Thomas Tuchel is said to be a great admirer of Rice, and his performances for England at Euro 2020 have only gone to show he can perform excellently at the highest levels of the game. Tuchel has probably seen very little of Loftus-Cheek, but with available players returning to Cobham, the Londoner has a chance to impress Tuchel before the rest of the squad arrives.
It is now reaching a critical point in Loftus-Cheek’s career. He has to prove he has what it takes to remain a Chelsea player or the club will be forced to sell him while he still has his prime years ahead of him to recoup their investment. There is every chance that Loftus-Cheek returns to the player that wowed fans under Sarri. If he doesn’t, there is an element of the Ross Barkley saga lingering: a player undoubtedly gifted, derailed by expectations and injury.
For now it remains unclear what the future holds for Loftus-Cheek. No doubt the Chelsea board will have its eyes on the ages of N’Golo Kante and Jorginho. They won’t want to risk losing a player that have nurtured for over a decade only to see him reach the peak of his powers for a rival. Chelsea should stand by Loftus-Cheek. He deserves another shot at his boyhood club, a chance to win over Tuchel, to play his way into the team. If he is given a fair shot this year and can’t make the grade at the club then you have your answer, but another loan to a foreign place is not where he will excel. Loftus-Cheek deserves the comfort of being a Blues player, even if it is for the last time.
What do you think the club should do with Loftus-Cheek this summer? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!