Southampton are reportedly plotting a bid for Ruben Loftus-Cheek this summer, with manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said to be a big admirer.
Loftus-Cheek is currently on loan at Fulham from Chelsea, but there is some sense that his time at Stamford Bridge could be close to an end, not least because of the competition for midfield places in Thomas Tuchel’s side he is likely to face.
According to the Express, the Saints tried to sign the ten-cap England midfielder a year ago, only for then newly-promoted Fulham to take him on loan.
It has been a disappointing 2020/21 for Loftus-Cheek, with an achilles injury disrupting his campaign and restricting him to only 21 Premier League starts for Scott Parker’s Cottagers.
The 25-year-old came through the Chelsea youth ranks and has made 84 appearances for his parent club, but he arguably played the best football of his career on loan at Crystal Palace in the 2017/18 season.
However, Tuchel hasn’t shut the door on including Loftus-Cheek – who still has three years left to run on his deal with the Blues – in his plans going forward. He hasn’t yet worked with him, having only taken over as head coach in January following the sacking of Frank Lampard.
“I was quite a fan of him when he was even younger,” said Tuchel last month, comparing Loftus-Cheek to former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack in terms of “his style of play and movements”.
“He is on loan now and doing well,” Tuchel continued. “It would be unfair to judge him from TV.
“I like to work with players and give my opinion then.”
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