Reports have claimed that Graham Potter decided to use Ruben Loftus-Cheek at right-back during the club’s private friendly with Brighton.
According to The Athletic, the England international started in a back four alongside new signings Wesley Fofana and Kalidou Koulibaly, with Ben Chilwell operating down the left-hand-side.
Loftus-Cheek has proven his versatility under a number of Chelsea managers, with him frequently playing in different roles in order to fill a gap left by injuries.
The most outlandish example of this occurred in the FA Cup against Luton Town last season, when the Blues were in the middle of a centre-back crisis.
The 26-year-old fulfilled that role on the night, adding his own attacking spin as he helped assist one of the club’s three goals on the night.
Potter uses Loftus-Cheek in defence
He was also entrusted with a wing-back role on multiple occasions under Thomas Tuchel, especially with Reece James’s injury woes last season.
The Athletic have claimed that Potter is the latest manager to utilise him in defence, with his chosen midfield for the behind closed doors friendly involving Denis Zakaria and Conor Gallagher.
With N’golo Kante back in training ahead of the busy month of October, the midfield position could become more difficult for Loftus-Cheek to break into, with the likes of Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic always pushing for starts.
Reports have claimed that Potter is also considering utilising Trevoh Chalobah in midfield, with his ball playing abilities lending himself quite well to the role.
With James continuing to excel this season, the right role of a defence, whether that be in a back four or five, will also not be easy to get appearances in, with the 22-year-old arguably being Chelsea’s best performer during this campaign.
Either way, Loftus-Cheek will be keen to show the new manager what he can do as the fixtures pile up before the World Cup.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
