"His potential is very, very high. Physically and tactically he is improving. He can become one of the best in Europe." Maurizio Sarri, March 2019.
It's almost three years since the Italian delivered that verdict in his customary deadpan style. There was little emotion behind the words, no sense of excitement. It was a dispassionate analysis.
The player in question was Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who grew in importance as the 2018/19 season progressed. He started out as a squad option, a player to bring in for Europa League games, but ended the campaign as Chelsea's most influential attacking presence behind Eden Hazard. He was a revelation.
There are countless supporters who overlook that, many who forget that in an eleven-game spell between April and May, he struck four goals and registered three assists.
Loftus-Cheek achieved that output while predominantly playing as an eight on the left of Sarri's midfield. While there were strict tactical rules to follow, he was given license to break forward into the penalty area to threaten the goal, both with the ball and without it.
It resulted in the academy graduate scoring ten times across the season. The potential many knew the academy graduate possessed was realised.
"He's got immense talent, running at people, playing a number eight," former Chelsea manager Glenn Hoddle stated. "He can defend at times, he's got that little bit of pace, a bit of a pass on him, he's got a little bit of everything going for him."
Unfortunately for Loftus-Cheek, fate intervened. It was during a poorly-timed charity game in the USA, which was played on an awful pitch, that the midfielder ruptured his Achilles.
He spent almost a year on the sidelines and his return to action was further delayed by football's suspension due to the Covid pandemic.
Loftus-Cheek spent last season on loan at Fulham to regain his match sharpness. He was largely used as a ten and while his underlying numbers were solid, his actual output was not. There were supporters of Chelsea's west London neighbours that were disappointed to see him return to Stamford Bridge.
"I was struggling mentally and needed to focus on just taking risks in training and get that feeling back, but it eventually came and I was doing really well in games," Loftus-Cheek reflected last summer.
"So I’ve had my injury, I’ve had a season now to get fit and feel confident in my body. This season is where I hit the ground running."
With N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho already in situ at Chelsea, and Saul Niguez signed on loan on transfer deadline day, there was no great expectation that Loftus-Cheek would be handed first-team minutes by Thomas Tuchel this term.
But he has made 20 appearances across four different competitions as part of a double six, a more defensively-focused position he had not played in since his days in Chelsea's academy.
There have been a couple of standout showings and impressive cameos from the bench, but Loftus-Cheek hasn't hit the same heights he reached under Sarri. In a more reserved role, perhaps that is understandable.
Prior to the January international break, Tuchel did something he had not done previously in his Chelsea tenure: he set his side up in a 4-3-3 formation against Tottenham.
Jorginho was at the base of the midfield and Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic were the number eights. In an attacking sense, it worked well and the Blues recorded a 2-0 win.
Loftus-Cheek wasn't involved, however. The 26-year-old was ruled out with a sore Achilles – crucially, it was not the one he ruptured back in 2019. The 26-year-old has spent the last three weeks undertaking treatment at Cobham and rejoined first-team training yesterday ahead of the clash with Crystal Palace.
With games coming thick and fast in the weeks ahead in four competitions, it's likely Loftus-Cheek is handed further game time by Tuchel. And if the Chelsea head coach opts to repeat his 4-3-3 experiment, it will be intriguing as to whether he turns to the academy graduate.
Loftus-Cheek proved under Sarri, albeit three seasons ago, he can be a goalscoring threat from midfield in the Premier League. That trait is something Kante, Kovacic and Jorginho do not possess and the majority of Mount's goals have come when used as part of the frontline.
With his long-term future at Stamford Bridge uncertain, being used as an eight once more could be Loftus-Cheek's last hurrah in a Chelsea shirt.
Alternatively, it could showcase there is a bigger role for him under Tuchel going forward the German was to permanently move away from his tried and trusted 3-4-2-1 shape.
"I think he is too talented to just be a part of the group," Tuchel said in November. It feels as though it's now or never for Loftus-Cheek to prove that statement – and Sarri's prediction – correct.
