Loftus-Cheek during his Chelsea days. (REUTERS)
Newcastle United are interested in signing Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, according to a new report from Chronicle Live.
The Lowdown: Loftus-Cheek’s future
The 27-year-old was starting to cement his place in the Blues’ starting XI this season, making 14 appearances in the Premier League (12 starts), until a calf injury hampered his progress, having not featured in the top flight since mid-November.
As such, there has been talk about the midfielder leaving Stamford Bridge, with Fabrizio Romano recently claiming that Loftus-Cheek is ‘receiving a lot of interest’, and Newcastle are now emerging as potential suitors.
The Latest: Newcastle interested in Loftus-Cheek…
According to Chronicle Live, the Englishman has piqued the interest of Eddie Howe due to his versatile skill set, given that he is comfortable playing in a range of positions, including wing-back.
This means that the 27-year-old would be able to cover for right-back Kieran Trippier, while he could also provide competition for the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Joe Willock in central midfield.
The Verdict: Get it done
Hailed as ‘fantastic‘ by some members of media, the 6 foot 4 powerhouse has also been likened to Yaya Toure by BT Sport’s Rio Ferdinand due to his ability to ‘intimidate players, when he turns and gets in full pelt’. (via talkSPORT)
Another aspect of his game which makes him similar to the former Manchester City star is his ability to get on the ball and drive at the opposition, as indicated by an average of 1.6 dribbles completed per 90 in the last year, which places him in the 95th percentile compared to other midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues.
Loftus-Cheek’s versatility is another bonus, and he has stated that he ‘enjoyed’ his outings at wing-back, as he was given more of a licence to use his ‘running power’, making him a fantastic option for Howe to potentially have at his disposal.
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