Crystal Palace and Aston Villa are the frontrunners to land Ruben Loftus-Cheek from Chelsea this summer, according to reports.
The midfielder has spent 2020/21 on loan at Fulham, but the Cottagers hopes of signing him on a permanent basis are fading as relegation looks ever more likely.
TEAMtalk are reporting that Chelsea will look to move Loftus-Cheek on after seven years at the club, during which he’s also spent time out on loan at Palace.
The 25-year-old came through Chelsea’s academy and made his senior debut in 2014, but his only campaign of regular football was 2018/19 under Maurizio Sarri, when he made 40 appearances in all competitions.
Achilles injuries have afflicted Loftus-Cheek in recent years, but he has featured in 21 of Fulham’s Premier League games this season, scoring once.
While this summer’s Euros will come too soon, the England international will surely hope to force his way back into Gareth Southgate’s plans in the not-too-distant future, having started three times for Three Lions at the 2018 World Cup. The last of his ten caps came in a friendly against the United States in November 2018.
Loftus-Cheek thrived in his previous spell at Palace in 2017/18, although it remains to be seen whether Roy Hodgson will still be in charge at Selhurst Park next season. Aston Villa assistant head coach John Terry, meanwhile, is said to hold his former Chelsea teammate in very high regard.
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