BBC reports have it that Crystal Palace have announced the signing of Chelsea player Ruben Loftus Cheek on a season long loan move. Loftus-Cheek failed to secure a regular place in Antonio Conte team.
He has only managed to get 32 career appearances for the Blues. He will have to continue his development at Selhurst Park under Dutch manager Frank De Boer.
Loftus Cheek is one of the products of Chelsea academy. He joined at the age of eight and he was among the few players to ascend to the grades of the Club and play for the senior side.
He made his debut for the Blues during the second spell of Jose Mourinho in 2014 when he came on for Cesc Fabregas for the last seven minutes of a Champions League game against Sporting Lisbon.
The quality of midfielders at Chelsea’s disposal makes it difficult for Loftus-Cheek to break into the team. To unseat Matic, Kanté, Pedro or Fabregas from the midfield is going to be a herculean task ahead of him to achieve. With possible arrival of Bakayoko at Chelsea it’s all guaranteed that Loftus-Cheek have to look outside of the Bridge for playing time.
After his confirmation as a Palace player, the 22-years-old was happy about his move. “I had the option of coming to Palace and I thought that it would be great for me,” Loftus-Cheek told the club’s official website. “I live not too far away, I was born in Lewisham and Palace is good club so I thought it’s a good chance to play here and be a part of the team. They have a very strong team and I’d like to be a part of that this season.”
