Crystal Palace are keen to land Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek ahead of the 2022/23 season.
According to The Sun, Crystal Palace are keen to make a summer move for Chelsea star Ruben Loftus-Cheek as the 2022/23 Premier League season draws closer.
The Blues ace has failed to land himself a regular spot in Thomas Tuchel’s first team and is a player who is used in rotation. At 26, he is at a stage in his career where he should be playing regularly. Since that is far from guaranteed at Stamford Bridge, he could be on the move before the transfer window closes.
A transfer to Crystal Palace could allow him to kickstart his career again. Loftus-Cheek is no stranger to Selhurst Park having spent the 2017/18 season on loan there. He made 25 appearances for the Eagles, scoring twice and assisting five more.
Patrick Vieira is putting together a young core of players who have shown immense promise at Crystal Palace. Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher spearheaded a side that made it to the semifinals of the FA Cup last season. But with him now back at Stamford Bridge, the Eagles need to replace him this summer.
Adding Loftus-Cheek to the roster will give them a central midfielder who can function in both offensive and defensive roles. Moreover, the Englishman is versatile enough to play in several other positions, giving Vieira a sort of utility player to make use of to suit his tactics.
Vieira, a midfielder in his time, knows the importance of having reliable players in the centreof the pitch. He was keen to add Wolverhampton Wanderers star Morgan Gibbs-White for around £20 million, only for the deal to run into choppy waters. This has seen the Eagles shift their attention to Loftus-Cheek.
Crystal Palace appear to be open to the idea of taking the Chelsea star on a season-long loan. However, exactly how Tuchel or Loftus-Cheek view this perceived interest is yet to be ascertained. The prospect of developing his game under Vieira is something the latter can look at.
The trio of Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho and N’Golo Kante is Tuchel’s preferred central midfield partnership. Gallagher and Billy Gilmour are now back at Cobham, while Chelsea have also been linked with a move for Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong. All this does is add further hurdles to Loftus-Cheek’s chances of gaining more playing time.
At 26, the Englishman would be better served to gain regular minutes elsewhere than settling for being a bench player at Stamford Bridge. He has the necessary ability to succeed in the top flight and whether that will be at Selhurst Park remains to be seen.
