Stuart Pearce claims he wouldn’t pick Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the England squad ahead of the World Cup.
Loftus-Cheek, 26, is currently enjoying his best spell in recent times in the Chelsea side.
The midfielder is getting regular minutes under Blues coach Graham Potter, featuring in all eight of his games so far.
With the Englishman looking strong again, some Blues supporters are tipping him for an outside recall to the Three Lions squad just in time for the World Cup next month.
The last time he played for his country was back in 2018.
Pearce wouldn’t pick Loftus-Cheek in England squad
Pearce has told talkSPORT that he wouldn’t be taking Chelsea’s central midfielder to Qatar in his England squad.
In particular, he highlighted the fact he would like to see the Blues star contribute much more going forward. Incidentally, he has zero goals and one assist in 14 games across all competitions this season.
When asked if he would include Loftus-Cheek in England’s World Cup squad, Pearce replied: “I think, all things being equal, probably not. You’ve got to bear in mind it’s a 26-man squad, there will be injuries and he’s playing for one of the top clubs in this country.
“If someone said to me what Loftus-Cheek is as a player, I would say he’s an attacking midfield player. With that, you’ve got to couple that with assists and goals. I don’t think he delivers enough goals for what he is. He’s got a certain talent.
“I’m still waiting for the best years of Ruben to come.”
The Telegraph reported last week that Loftus-Cheek could yet force his way into Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
There’s a lot to like about his game right now in terms of his physicality, versatility and hunger. It’s why he could make a great squad option for his nation.
However, does he deserve a spot in the England group ahead of some Premier League counterparts?
Loftus-Cheek’s sole focus should be on impressing Potter and enjoying his football at Chelsea because the rest should take care of itself.
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