Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is Maurizio Sarri’s first-choice potential replacement for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer, according to a report in Italy.
Loftus-Cheek, whose inclusion in Thomas Tuchel’s squad last summer was a bit of a surprise, established himself as an important squad player for the Blues throughout the season.
In total, he made 39 appearances and 18 starts in all competitions, with more minutes in the Premier League than some high-profile Chelsea teammates such as Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech.
This is largely due to his versatility. The 26-year-old mostly plays in midfield, but he has also played as a centre-back, right wing-back, and even as a number nine under Tuchel.
Tuchel may want to keep such a utility player in the squad next season, but this could prove more difficult as Loftus-Cheek has reportedly attracted interest from Lazio.
Sarri, under whom Loftus-Cheek had his best season at Chelsea, likes the midfielder and already wanted him back in January, according to Corriere dello Sport (via Calciomercato).
Loftus-Cheek is under contract with Chelsea until 2024, so the club and Tuchel are not exactly under pressure to sell him this summer.
The report also mentioned that Lazio are not able to accelerate their approach for Loftus-Cheek without selling Milankovic-Savic first.
Chelsea have plenty of returning loanees to replace Loftus-Cheek
If Loftus-Cheek decided to leave, the Blues still have plenty of midfield options without having to dip into the transfer market.
The likes of Conor Gallagher, Billy Gilmour, and even Ethan Ampadu are all expected to take part in the upcoming pre-season under Tuchel.
Ampadu, in particular, could be Tuchel’s new utility player as he is also capable of playing in various different roles.
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