Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has admitted Ruben Loftus-Cheek could leave on a loan deal to get regular game time elsewhere.
The 24-year-old made the starting line-up in the opening Premier League match against Brighton on 14 September as Lampard experimented with a new 4-2-3-1 system.
It was a rather underwhelming display from Loftus-Cheek and he has yet to feature in another game since.
He told Chelsea’s official website: “I am very open with Ruben. We have had a couple of conversations in the last week.
“He is fit as a fiddle so he could play week in, week out, but he needs to play.
“There is a possibility Ruben might go out [on loan] to play games because I think that would be great for him.”
Lampard explained the arrivals of new attackers such as Hakim Ziyech and Kai Havertz may clash with Loftus-Cheek’s desire to play week in, week out.
“Ruben is versatile. He can play different roles in midfield and sometimes off the side,” he added.
“He wants to play and the reality is I have a lot of competition in those areas when I look at the squad.”
However, Lampard also welcomed the idea Loftus-Cheek could stay and compete for a first-team place, although the England international’s game time will remain a priority when it comes to the final decision.