Chelsea are widely regarded as having one of the best youth academies in English football. The academy has dominated youth football over the last few seasons, having won the U-21 and the UEFA Youth Leagues in 2014 and the FA Youth Cup in 2012, 2014 and 2015. Albeit a very successful academy, Chelsea are often criticised for not producing any talent since John Terry. However, Ruben Loftus-Cheek is extremely well thought of at the club, with many expecting him to be the first man since John Terry to truly make a mark on the Chelsea first-team including former team manager Jose Mourinho.
Who is this teenage prodigy?
Loftus-Cheek has been a part of the Chelsea youth academy since the age of 8. He has progressed through the ranks and broke into Chelsea U21 squad in the 2012/13 season. Although only making five appearances, the tall midfielder became a solid fixture in the U21 squad for the following season. The 2013/14 season saw him make 24 appearances in the U21 and UEFA Youth Leagues, while also winning the U21 Championship and the FA Youth Cup. The 2014/15 season however was Loftus-Cheek’s breakout year. He managed 21 games for the U21 side, scoring once and gaining one assist, moreover he played seven times in the UEFA Youth League and played in the final, winning 3-2 over Shakhtar Donetsk.
Such were his excellent performances that he was called into the first team for his debut against Sporting Lisbon. He was subsequently elevated to the first team permanently and played an hour against Liverpool. This season he has been praised by Mourinho for his performance against Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Champions League Group Stage match in which he starred in midfield for the Blues.
Despite his tender years, the 19 year old is an imposing physical presence, standing at 6ft 4in with excellent strength and a reasonable turn of pace. He is supremely talented in possession and reminds those watching him of Patrick Vieira in his Arsenal pomp; Loftus-Cheek is a genuine box-to-box threat, he has an eye for a pass, is stern in the tackle and likes to pick the ball up and drive his team forward from midfield.
Internationally Loftus-Cheek has steadily progressed through the ranks and has been rewarded by being called up to the England U21 squad. He was also included in Gareth Southgate’s European U21 squad for the U21 Euros which struggled to impress. The tall midfielder has also represented England at U16, U17 and U19 level.
GROWTH OVER THE YEARS
Loftus-Cheek has played a starring role for Chelsea throughout his youth. He made his Under-18 debut as a 14-year-old and also came on as a substitute in the FA Youth Cup win that season.
With interest growing at home and abroad, with Manchester United and Barcelona believed to be keen, Chelsea handed him a contract reportedly worth in excess of £30,000-a-week in March 2013, such was the belief in his talents.
In May 2013 he travelled to the US with the first-team for the post-season friendlies against Manchester City and started both games, impressing against the might of Yaya Toure. Chelsea’s youth teams have dominated in recent seasons, winning both the Under-21 Premier League and FA Youth Cup last season, with Loftus-Cheek an integral part of their success despite his young age.
Loftus-Cheek joined Chelsea at the age of eight. He impressed at the beginning of the 2011–12 season before picking up a hip injury, from which he recovered by the end of the season to make a substitute appearance in the 2012 FA Youth Cup final. In the 2012–13 season, Loftus-Cheek made 18 appearances for the U-18 squad and 9 appearances for the U-21 squad, at the end of the season he was rewarded for his good form to travel with a place in the first-team squad for a post season friendly against Manchester City in May 2013.
He also was called for Chelsea pre-season friendly tours to Australia and US where in one match in Australia Chelsea manager José Mourinho accused following Chelsea’s 1-0 post-season victory over Sydney FC that Loftus-Cheek didn’t work hard enough for the team, stating
“He has to learn that at 19, you have to run three times more than the others (the senior players), you have to play to your limits and not play like a superstar with the ball at your feet because this is not Under-18s.” Mourinho went on to say that Loftus-Cheek “doesn’t press, doesn’t have intensity and he’s waiting for everybody else to recover the ball.”
However, he again won back the trust of Mourinho with his fine displays in midfield in America and was subsequently brought on as a substitute against Crystal Palace in a defeat where the Blues were chasing the game for the 17 mins he played, a gesture that told us the manager Mourinho’s trust is growing upon the youngster. This was followed by an outing against Maccabi Tel Aviv where the England International played an impressive match for about 77 mins. A week later again he started this time against Walsall where he got the chance to be in the field for 72 mins.
WHAT DOES FUTURE HOLD FOR HIM?
At such a formative age, regular playing time is essential for him to grow as a player and If the present Interim Manager and future managers stay true to push him through, then there is no doubt Loftus-Cheek will become a Chelsea and England regular.