Ruben Loftus-Cheek enjoyed an impressive loan stint with Crystal Palace. His efforts were rewarded as the midfielder was chosen in England’s squad for this summer’s FIFA World Cup in Russia. The youngster provided major relief for the Eagles in the middle of the park and was often the driving force behind their attack.
The midfielder made 21 appearances in the Premier League last season, scoring 2 goals and providing 3 assists. Although he was predominantly used on the left-wing by Roy Hodgson, the 22-year-old thrives in the centre of the park. He is a natural box-to-box midfielder, boasting of fantastic strength and pace.
Loftus-Cheek will return to Chelsea after the World Cup but the midfielder must look for an exit in search of regular game time. Chelsea have already brought in Ross Barkley from Everton, which will probably keep Loftus-Cheek on the bench more often than not.
Hence, here are three clubs the youngster could join.
Crystal Palace
Under the stewardship of Roy Hodson, Palace retained their place in the Premier League with an 11th-place finish. Loftus-Cheek had a decent campaign with the Eagles, except for a couple of injury issues. He could return to the club again and nail down a starting spot. It would be a win-win situation for Hodgson as well as the midfielder, having already played a season together.
In Hodgson, Loftus-Cheek will have a manager willing to provide him with the game time required to develop further.
Bournemouth
Eddie Howe has always had a preference for English players, making the Cherries one of the clubs with the most number of homegrown players. Loftus-Cheek is English and hence, the proposition of joining Bournemouth would be appealing.
Bournemouth finished in the 12th place last season and they lacked a driving force behind their attack. Howe has often rotated between Junior Stanislas and Lys Mousset in the middle of the park but Loftus-Cheek could help solve their woes in the midfield.
Burnley
Just like Bournemouth, Burnley are also a club filled to the brim with English players. Sean Dyche’s side played some exciting football over the last campaign and Loftus-Cheek would be a great addition to their squad.
The manager used Jeff Hendricks in the centre of the midfield but Loftus-Cheek could prove to be a huge upgrade. With a supporting role behind the striker, the youngster would relish the challenge. Burnley have also qualified for next season’s UEFA Europa League, making the move all the more enticing.
