Serie A champions AC Milan are reportedly keeping tabs on Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
According to a report by Italian outlet Calciomercato, AC Milan have earmarked Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek as a potential replacement for Franck Kessie, who moved to Barcelona in the summer.
Loftus-Cheek has had a tough time at Stamford Bridge, and he has not managed to establish himself as a key starter a Chelsea so far. He has recently had loan spells at Crystal Palace and Fulham, where he impressed with his performances.
But newly-appointed Chelsea manager Graham Potter seems open to giving the player his chances. The English international recently featured in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Wolverhampton and produced a convincing performance. But the player’s contract will expire in the summer of 2024, and AC Milan want to take advantage of the situation and sign him at the end of the season.
Chelsea will not want to lose Loftus-Cheek as a free agent in 2024 and they could thus decide to sell him for a nominal price in the summer of 2023. That is if the player is not offered an extension. It is fair to assume that Loftus-Cheek will demand game-time assurances before committing his long-term future to Chelsea. So it will be interesting to see how the situation develops.
The 24-year-old has always been highly-rated at Stamford Bridge, but he needs to make an important decision regarding his career now. Loftus-Cheek is at a stage where he needs to play regularly to fulfil his potential. And if Chelsea cannot provide him with the platform, he needs to move on.
A move to AC Milan could be ideal for the player. The Serie A champions could offer him regular game time as a replacement for Kessie. And Loftus-Cheek will have seen how the move to Milan has worked out for his former teammate Fikayo Tomori.
The English centre-back joined Milan in search of regular game time after struggling at Chelsea. And Tomori has now established himself as one of the most reliable defenders in Serie A. Loftus-Cheek desperately needs opportunities, and one can only hope that Graham Potter will be open to giving him ample opportunities for the rest of the season.
