Chelsea may have got it wrong over star Todd Boehly let exit for just £15m.
Criticism has been directed at Chelsea owner Todd Boehly for the acquisition of underperforming players during his time at the club. Now, Boehly faces embarrassment over the departure of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, whom he allowed to leave for a mere £15 million last summer, marking the end of the midfielder’s long tenure at Chelsea.
He is currently thriving in Serie A, having scored the first goal in his team’s 2-1 victory against Fiorentina last Saturday. This marked his 10th goal of the season, equaling his best-ever performance while wearing a Chelsea jersey.
His standout season occurred under Maurizio Sarri in 2018/19, which was arguably his peak at Stamford Bridge. During that time, he made 40 appearances for the club, although he missed out on playing in the Europa League final victory over Arsenal due to injury.
However, following Sarri’s departure from Chelsea, the 28-year-old saw limited playing time under Frank Lampard in the subsequent season before being loaned out to Fulham. He later returned to Chelsea in 2021 and featured regularly over the next two seasons, though he struggled to secure a permanent spot in the starting lineup due to ongoing injury issues.
Loftus-Cheek seems rejuvenated since joining Milan, featuring in 35 matches across various competitions.
With 11 league fixtures remaining, he is poised to further increase his goal count, especially as Milan is currently positioned to secure a second-place finish in the league.
Additionally, under the guidance of manager Stefano Pioli, he has occasionally been utilized as a forward, contributing goals in both legs as Milan advanced past Slavic Prague in the Europa League last-16 stage last month. This has paved the way for an exciting quarter-final encounter against Roma.
The Italian manager conceded following the match that Loftus-Cheek’s performance in a more advanced position had pleasantly surprised him. “To be honest, Ruben has shown more attacking prowess and quality than I initially anticipated,” he remarked.
“When he faced us in the Champions League for Chelsea, he operated as a midfielder, more of a box-to-box player. However, he didn’t seem to possess the level of quality and physicality needed to be such a vital player in the attacking phase. I’ve coached Sergej Milinkovic-Savic at Lazio, and Loftus-Cheek’s qualities, physical attributes, and forward runs remind me most of him. We’re delighted for him; he’s genuinely a remarkable individual.”
His performances have sparked suggestions for his return to international duty, having earned 10 caps with the last one back in November 2018. Nonetheless, Gareth Southgate has yet to reintegrate him into the squad, making a place at Euro 2024 seem improbable at this point.
Chelsea may have got it wrong over star Todd Boehly let exit for just £15m.