Frank Lampard keeping close tabs on in-form 26-year-old Chelsea midfield star ahead of January transfer window

Everton manager Frank Lampard targeting a January swoop for Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek

According to journalist Simon Phillips (h/t Football.London), Everton manager Frank Lampard is targeting a January window swoop for Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

Lampard, the Blues legend, is keeping close tabs on the 26-year-old and could snatch him away from Stamford Bridge once the winter transfer window opens.

Loftus-Cheek has been one of the regular starters in the Chelsea side under Graham Potter this season. Out of the 14 league appearances so far, 10 of them have come from the start.

The midfielder suffered disappointment when he was left out of the final England squad for the World Cup. He is currently on holiday preparing for the second half of the club season.

This season has almost been a breakthrough one for him as a Chelsea player. He has been on loan at Crystal Palace and Fulham in the past, while injuries haven’t helped his cause.

Last season, he made 24 league appearances and quite a few of them from the bench. This year though, he has played the majority of the games so far. To be fair to him, he has done well in the absence of key midfielder N’Golo Kante, although the team misses the Frenchman.

Loftus-Cheek has his contract at Chelsea ending in the summer of 2024 (Transfermarkt). There haven’t been any reports about the club negotiating an extension with him thus far. He last signed a long-term deal with the Blues more than three years ago.

With Potter already sweating on the return date of Kante and the possibility of Mateo Kovacic coming back tired after his World Cup exploits, it would be naïve from Chelsea to let the 26-year-old go to Everton in January.

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In the summer maybe they can discuss the possibilities when potential replacements would be on their way, but for now, the club needs to make sure the Englishman stays for the remainder of this season.