Fabrizio Romano confirms Chelsea star Ruben Loftus-Cheek is close to joining AC Milan. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)
Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Chelsea star Ruben Loftus-Cheek is closing in on a move to AC Milan for a deal worth an initial €16 million fee plus €4 million in add-ons.
He also claimed the midfielder has already signed a personal agreement and is excited to be part of the Serie A club’s project for next season. This comes after a campaign in west London where he has fallen down the pecking order.
Milan have earmarked the English midfielder as Sandro Tonali’s replacement, after the latter agreed to terms with Newcastle United. It is fair to say that the slower nature of the Italian top flight will be to the Chelsea star’s advantage.
Chelsea are offloading players at a fast pace as they look to balance their bloated squad before the start of next season. Now Loftus-Cheek will join the likes of N’Golo Kante and Kalidou Kouilbaly among others in leaving the club.
Following heavy spending in the last two transfer windows and failing to make the cut for the Champions League for next season, the Blues’ are at risk of violating the Financial Fair Play regulations. Loftus-Cheek is far from a first XI regular and can be deemed expendable.
Meanwhile, the Blues will need to revamp their midfield before the season kicks off. With Mateo Kovacic and potentially even Mason Mount departing, we cannot afford to not refresh the position on the roster.
Mauricio Pochettino will need the right tools at his disposal to make an impact. The chances of him competing with a weak midfield appear poor.
A versatile player, Loftus-Cheek can serve different roles and don different roles as needed. Moving away from Stamford Bridge will be a win-win for all parties indeed.
The England international will be guaranteed more playing time at Milan, where he can make an impression similar to what Olivier Giroud and Fikayo Tomori did there. Both parties will benefit from this, and the Blues are gradually trimming down their bloated roster, albeit with a ways to go.
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