Fresh from his impressive hat-trick, in midweek, the future of our young midfielder, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, generated numerous column inches in the media yesterday (Friday).
The general assumption, as covered by ourselves, was that the 22-year-old England international would be seeking a loan move come the opening of the January transfer window.
However, that may not be the case.
According to the news source, the Evening Standard, the youngster is happy to remain at Stamford Bridge and further learn his trade under the managerial acumen of Maurizio Sarri, with Ruben quoted as having remarked:
“As a player-manager relationship, it works. It would be daft for me not to take in what he is telling me. He is a top manager.
“For me to learn from him is great for my development. I will keep doing that.
“I will keep listening and learning whenever I’m on the pitch or in training.
“He is so demanding on shape, but also wants you to play freely as well, which is why we can play such creative attacking football. It is really good work.”
It also seems that despite not giving Ruben as many opportunities to show what he can do in the first-team, on a regular basis, Sarri thinks highly of the player, being quoted by our referenced source as having remarked;
“I told him at the start of the summer I thought he was really a very good player.”
Further adding about his development:
“Now I think the same and he’s more suitable to my style of football.”
But perhaps the biggest bonus, as far as the England manager Gareth Southgate is concerned, comes from the following remark attributed to Sarri:
“At the moment we have four midfielders for two positions. In the future, I may be able to put Barkley and Loftus-Cheek in the same starting XI.”
Now that would be good news for both club and country.
Although a loan move, to Crystal Palace, proved beneficial to Loftus-Cheek last season, this, when you consider the players’ age, just has to be the season in which he proves his potential is turned into proving he has a long-term future at Stamford Bridge.