Everton register interest in signing Chelsea star Ruben Loftus-Cheek
As per the Daily Mail, Everton are looking to sign Chelsea midfielder Ruben-Loftus Cheek this month as they struggle to deal with injuries to their midfield stars. However, they could run into a problem as Blues boss Thomas Tuchel is keen on keeping the player at Stamford Bridge this season.
Having come through Chelsea’s famed Cobham academy, the 26-year-old has impressed during his time with the first-team but has been unable to nail down a regular starting spot. Tuchel however, is said to be a fan of Loftus-Cheek and has played him in the League cup and Champions League games this season.
The German is also not planning on letting the midfielder go this month, claiming that the player has a lot of game time coming his way for the rest of the season. He is keen for Loftus-Cheek to stay and fight for the same.
“We haven’t talked about it (loaning Loftus-Cheek out). He has a lot of game time, he has a lot to fight for here if we talk about Ruben and my personal opinion. Anyway, this will happen behind closed doors. When we have something to announce, we will announce.”
Everton’s interest in the Blues star arises because the Toffees require midfield reinforcements following injuries to Abdoulaye Doucoure and Fabian Delph. The pair is expected to be out for at least four weeks with groin and thigh problems, respectively, and caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson desperately needs additions in the middle of the park.
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Loftus-Cheek could certainly help Everton shore through the crisis. While he might not be a regular for Chelsea, the Englishman can become an important first XI player for several other Premier League sides.
Everton are not the first team to inquire about the midfielder, as Juventus was also eyeing him as a potential replacement for Arthur. However, the move fell through as the Brazilian’s loan deal to Arsenal hit a roadblock and fell apart.
Although Loftus-Cheek made his debut for Chelsea back in 2014, the midfielder has still not established himself as a key player at Stamford Bridge. In this time, the England international has also had two spells out on loan at Crystal Palace and Fulham. He made enough of an impact for the Blues to keep him around. However, this has not seen him handed a major role in the squad.
The story continues yet again under Tuchel, who, despite being happy with Loftus-Cheek’s performances this season, has not been able to hand the midfielder a regular run of games. This is partly due to the German’s system not having a starring role for an attacking midfielder like Loftus-Cheek.
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Everton’s interest is likely to go in vain, considering the recent comments made by Tuchel. The 26-year-old would have made a good addition for the Toffees, as the club themselves are struggling in midfield and could use some solidity and creativity in the middle of the park.
Chelsea fans will be hoping to see more of their former youth product, as he is one name that we have been hearing for years, but still not seen the best of. We can only hope that the Englishman can kick his performances up a notch and convince Tuchel that he is deserving of more game time in the coming months.
