Southampton are keen on signing Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who is valued at £20 million by Chelsea, in the summer transfer window.
According to a report by Daily Express, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is the subject of interest from Southampton over a loan move in the summer transfer window. The Saints are planning a bid for the English midfielder, who is valued at £20 million by Chelsea.
Loftus-Cheek has been with Chelsea since arriving at the club’s famed academy back in 2004, aged just 8. One of the most highly rated midfielders in the Blues’ youth setup during his time, before breaking into the first-team squad in 2014. Since then, though, the 25-year-old has been extremely unfortunate to not have become a regular for the west Londoners.
Injuries have played their part in contributing to such a predicament as well, with Loftus-Cheek not progressing as much as he would have liked. His current spell away from Chelsea, at Fulham, has not gone as per plan as well, with the second half of the season being one to forget for the English midfielder.
Now set to return to Chelsea in the summer, Loftus-Cheek’s position in the Blues’ first-team setup is hardly secure, considering Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante and Jorginho have the stronghold over the central midfield slots, while Billy Gilmour has impressed when given a chance as well.
With Chelsea also eyeing possible midfield additions – James Maddison, Declan Rice and Miralem Pjanic among those being linked – it is hard to see how Loftus-Cheek will be able to carve out a place for himself in the first-team setup. With there being little way back for the 25-year-old at Chelsea, Southampton are now prepared to hand him a lifeline, by taking him on loan for the next term.
The interest from Southampton makes a lot of sense as well, considering Oriol Romeu has blown hot and cold, with captain James Ward-Prowse not having a consistent partner. To that end, Loftus-Cheek could be just what the doctor ordered for Ralph Hasenhuttl.
It does appear to be certain is that Loftus-Cheek is likely to be on his way out of Chelsea this coming summer, with the Blues having no place for him in the first-team squad, as things stand. What now remains to be seen is whether the Saints are successful in their bid to sign the England international on loan for the 2021/22 term.
