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(Ruben Loftus-Cheek: Crystal Palace)
Chelsea are notorious for their excessively long loan list, and the degree of success their loanees achieve normally hovers around 0. Nevertheless, the new season has witnessed the emergence of one Chelsea loanee, who was taken the Premier League by storm and surprised me. That loanee is Ruben Loftus-Cheek, a diamond in the rough. A Chelsea youth system graduate, Ruben Loftus-Cheek reached stagnation upon his promotion to the first team, in part due to Chelsea’s quality, but also partly due to a lack of managerial faith placed in the club’s young players. A continued preference for veterans is a motif of Chelsea’s squads, with aging veterans habitually getting the nod over the youngsters. This trend of experience over juvenility was no different with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who received his first-team debut in late 2014, but only recorded 1,170 minutes over the course of 3 seasons. His development was further stagnated by rejected loan deals, which could’ve provided the English prospect with valuable top-flight experience he wasn’t consistently exposed to at Chelsea. Loftus-Cheek’s saving grace manifested itself in the form of Chelsea’s cross-town rivals, Crystal Palace, or more specifically, their former manager Frank de Boer. The resignation of Sam Allardyce meant The Eagles had a coaching vacancy, and the owners turned to Frank de Boer to fill the role. Loftus-Cheek was de Boer’s first signing of the summer, but sadly for the Dutchman, his signing outlasted him. Ousted after just 5 games in charge, de Boer left Crystal Palace at the bottom of the table, with Loftus-Cheek and fellow loanee, Timothy Fosu-Mensah, the lone bright spots of a dismal early campaign. The exposure of constant first-team football has truly propelled Ruben Loftus-Cheek to the forefront, his name now circulated continuously by the media. His poignant performance in a recent friendly against Germany has only augmented his ethos, and Chelsea fans are beginning to rue the club’s decision to loan him out this season. Even Brazilian winger Willian has questioned Chelsea’s decision to allow the youngster to depart on loan. An energetic, eclectic, and dynamic midfielder would be a great boon to Conte’s side, especially considering the lack of diversity in Chelsea’s midfield options. Bakayoko and Kante are defensive and structural, Fabregas is creative but physically limited; therefore, Loftus-Cheek would certainly improve Conte’s side.
(Ruben Loftus-Cheek: Chelsea)
A beacon of light at Selhurst Park this season, Loftus-Cheek has proved consistent and impactful. Although statistically lacking, he has been at the hub of Palace’s attack, oftentimes being the standalone spark in matches against Manchester City and Liverpool. His strong frame exemplifies the new trend of dominant box-to-box midfielders, such as Manchester United’s Paul Pogba. He’s proven adept at breezing past wide defenders with pace and power, then providing a dangerous cutback for teammates to run onto. The post, pure bad luck, and the occasional incompetency of Christian Benteke and Wilfried Zaha have colluded against the prosperity of the 21-year-old, but pure quality can only be repressed for so long.
(Ruben Loftus-Cheek: England)
His recent call-up to the national team has led to a rise of questions as to whether the 21-year-old warrants a spot next year in Russia. As to this, Loftus-Cheek must demonstrate longevity throughout the entire Premier League campaign. After 12 games, Palace sit rock-bottom, in no part due to Loftus-Cheek’s laborious efforts. If Loftus-Cheek can shoulder Palace’s recovery and support their fight against relegation, he will definitely cement himself in the back of Gareth Southgate’s mind. As to his future with Chelsea, anything goes. The club has a track record of hindering the progress of their young prospects, and Roman Abramovich is an impulsive owner; not afraid of asserting his dictatorial status. With a surplus of assets that facilitate a bright future, Ruben Loftus-Cheek possesses the keys to his own destiny. His talent is quite evident given his spectacular domestic and international performances, but stability should be his next step of progression. Conte would be mindless to reject the services of such a blossoming prospect, and idealism would dictate a 2018/19 Chelsea midfield that revolves around Loftus-Cheek himself.