AC Milan technical director Paulo Maldini is said to have informed Chelsea of his interest in Ruben Loftus-Cheek, according to reports. The 26-year-old has featured frequently for the Blues in recent months despite his future at Stamford Bridge once having looked uncertain.
Loftus-Cheek, who sees his contract with the west Londoners expire in 2024, featured 23 times for former boss Thomas Tuchel in the Premier League last season, directly contributing towards three goals from both central-midfield and right wing-back. And, under Graham Potter too, he's continued to play a key role for Chelsea, becoming a key member of the squad.
The England international has impressed so much so that he's begun to court interest from some of Europe's top clubs. According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Milan are admirers of Loftus-Cheek.
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The report states that Rossoneri directors Maldini and Ricky Massara met with senior Chelsea figures at Stamford Bridge. In that meeting, Milan informed the Blues of their interest in Loftus-Cheek but their advances were shut down.
Speaking after the west Londoners' 3-0 win over Milan last week, the midfielder detailed how Potter has already improved Chelsea. Loftus-Cheek said: "Really delighted [with the win], there’s a really good mood in the changing room.
"Fantastic performance from us, the energy straight from the start. We endured and suffered at times in the game, we had to, but we came through that. We were ruthless with the chances, that’s been the difference. We’ve had many games where we’ve played well but just couldn’t finish it off, tonight we took our chances."
With N'Golo Kante out injured for much of the season, Loftus-Cheek has already appeared ten times for Potter. Due to the Cobham graduate's versatility, he's set to be central to the Blues' success this term.
And, he's just one of the many players to have come through the academy and impress. Many of the younger players in the Chelsea squad will look up to Loftus-Cheek as an example of how to break into the first team. And, with Boehly seemingly eager to sign a wealth of teenage talent, the £22million-rated midfielder could prove as crucial as ever in the next few years.
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