Chelsea youngster Cesare Casadei has compared his own game to that of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and thinks he’s a similar player.
Casadei, who moved to Stamford Bridge in the summer on a £12million deal from Inter Milan, is a highly-rated teenager.
The 19-year-old midfielder has quickly established himself as an important player in Chelsea’s Under-21 side, scoring a few goals for them this season.
He’s yet to make a first-team debut for the Blues, but the academy players should be encouraged by the fact that Graham Potter recently drafted Lewis Hall into the senior XI for a couple of appearances.
Casadei similar to Loftus-Cheek
Casadei suggests that he’s got similar traits to Loftus-Cheek, a player he looks up to and wants to learn from.
“I look at those in my position and here there are many from whom I can learn, now I say Loftus-Cheek, for his physicality in which in a certain sense I see myself, obviously knowing that there’s a lot to work on,” Casadei said.
Loftus-Cheek, 26, is a central midfielder that’s now played 142 senior games for Chelsea since coming through the academy ranks at Cobham many years ago.
He’s a real powerhouse that can be a physically demanding presence on the pitch, especially when he’s in full flow running in possession.
Casadei, who stands at over 6ft, has a similar frame and style in the centre of the park.
It’s going to be interesting to see if the Italian teenager gets to mix it in training with the first team during the winter break because a lot of stars are away competing at the World Cup.
If he gets the chance, let’s hope he can grab Potter’s attention.
Described as “very physical for his age” by Thomas Tuchel, Casadei is definitely someone for fans to keep an eye out for.
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