Chelsea star Ruben Loftus-Cheek has revealed he sees his future at the club as a ‘box-to-box’ midfielder as he nears a return from injury.
The England international has been sidelined with an Achilles problem since May after injuring himself in a post-season friendly against the New England Revolution.
The injury has kept Loftus-Cheek out of action for six months and the Lewisham-born star has watched on as his fellow academy graduates have grasped the opportunity given to them by Frank Lampard with both hands.
But Loftus-Cheek has revealed he hopes to play at least ‘half a season’ this term as he eyes a place in England’s Euro 2020 squad.
‘It’s going well!’ Lofust-Cheek told Versus.
‘It’s been a long time and I’ve had a few setbacks as well. It’s never been just a straight path but I’m close now…I’ve been running and moving, I feel I’m right on the edge. I’m close and I can’t wait.’
Loftus-Cheek has long been regarded as the finest talent to emerge from Chelsea’s academy in the last 20 years but his progress has not always been straightforward.
The midfielder’s best performances have arguably come on loan at Crystal Palace, where Loftus-Cheek was often played on the right or left of midfield.
The Londoner insists he was happy to learn new roles at Selhurst Park but he believes it is time to ‘nail’ down his position as a box-to-box midfielder.
‘I’m most effective as a box-to-box midfielder,’ said Loftus-Cheek.
‘Getting up and down, creating and also defending. I’ve played in a number of positions because I’m versatile so it’s easy for managers to move me around.
‘I played left and right midfield at Palace but I managed to do well. That’s cool when you’re coming up but as I’m maturing I kinda want to nail down one position and hopefully that position is box to box.’
