Ruben Loftus-Cheek swaps Chelsea for Milan
Ruben Loftus-Cheek ended a two-decade association with Chelsea by joining AC Milan on a four-year contract.
The 27-year-old midfielder, who cost Milan an initial £14m with a further £3m in add-ons, becomes the latest to leave Stamford Bridge this summer. Kalidou Koulibaly, N’Golo Kanté, Tiémoué Bakayoko, Mateo Kovačić, Édouard Mendy and Kai Havertz have all departed with many still expected to exit the club ahead of Mauricio Pochettino’s first day in the job.
:writing_hand: Ruben Loftus-Cheek :writing_hand:
Official Statement :arrow_right: https://t.co/80KKI1RSWP
Comunicato Ufficiale :arrow_right: https://t.co/9QDMajiztn
#ACMQuest #SempreMilan pic.twitter.com/clTcDCcTDb— AC Milan (@acmilan) June 30, 2023
A graduate of the Blues’ esteemed youth academy, Loftus-Cheek broke through in December 2014 when he replaced Cesc Fàbregas for the final seven minutes of a UEFA Champions League group match against Sporting CP at home.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek's Chelsea career by numbers:
◉ 155 senior games
◉ 13 senior goals
◉ 2x FA Youth Cup
◉ 1x UEFA Youth League
◉ 1x PL2
◉ 1x Super Cup
◉ 1x Europa League
◉ 1x Premier LeagueRLC joins Milan after 19 years at the club. ? pic.twitter.com/33okK9lSR4
— Squawka (@Squawka) June 30, 2023
A stop-start career, marred with injuries and two loan spells at Crystal Palace and Fulham, would ultimately see him make 155 appearances for the club subsequently registering 13 goals and 18 assists.
Those outings all came under seven different managers with Thomas Tuchel, Maurizio Sarri and Graham Potter utilising him on most occasions. To date he’s won 10 senior England caps and featured predominantly in Gareth Southgate’s men’s run to a third-place play-off game at Russia 2018.
Loftus-Cheek becomes the latest Englishman to represent Milan — following in the footsteps of David Beckham, Ray Wilkins, Mark Hateley, Luther Blissett and Jimmy Greaves — while linking up with fellow ex-Cobham pupil Fikayo Tomori.
