AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek felt he had no choice but to leave Chelsea during the summer.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek departed his boyhood club for Milan in the last transfer window and told CBS Sports yesterday why he had to get out of Stamford Bridge.
He helped Stefano Pioli’s side to beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last night and has been a key player for them this season.
In Serie A, he has made eight appearances and come up with a couple of goal contributions.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek explains Chelsea exit
Being on the outskirts of Chelsea’s squad is what forced Loftus-Cheek to leave Stamford Bridge.
Speaking to CBS Sports, the former Chelsea man said: “I’m really enjoying it. I wanted to change being at Chelsea for so long and being on the outside of the squad mostly and this was a great opportunity for me to come to a big club and be a big part of the team.
“We have a really, really talented team and I think we can go far. I’m really enjoying it over here, learning the language slowly.”
Ruben Loftus-Cheek made the right decision
Loftus-Cheek was never an automatic starter at Chelsea and his game time could have decreased even further if he remained in west London.
The Blues brought in Moises Caicedo during the summer to join Enzo Fernandez in midfield, while Romeo Lavia also arrived at the club.
This season, Conor Gallagher has been an ever-present in the Premier League under Mauricio Pochettino as well and has really impressed. He broke a personal record in Chelsea’s 4-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday, showing just how good he has been.
With all of that in mind, then, Loftus-Cheek could have easily struggled to get on the Stamford Bridge pitch this term, making his decision to move to Milan a wise one.
In the end, it was probably best for everyone. Chelsea have lost a good midfielder, but they still look quite strong in the middle of the park so do not need to be too devastated about Loftus-Cheek’s exit.
As for the England international, he is clearly happy with how things have worked out as he continues to receive opportunities at Milan.
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