Chelsea transfer battle ignites as surprise suitors steal march on UCL giants by starting negotiations
Various reports are suggesting where Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek might end up if the club sell him this summer.
Chelsea are needing to clear space in their squad after spending heavily in each of the past two transfer windows. There have been several claims that Loftus-Cheek could be among the players most likely to leave.
After all, the midfielder will only have one year remaining on his contract by the summer. And at the age of 27, finding a club where he can play more regularly might be overdue.
According to a report from Fanatik, a surprise solution could await Loftus-Cheek. The Turkish source has claimed that Fenerbahce have ‘started negotiations’ to sign the Chelsea academy graduate.
There will be a vacancy in the Fenerbahce midfield this summer, and Loftus-Cheek has supposedly been identified as the man to fill the void.
For now, there is no indication of how much the transfer might cost. However, if Fanatik is to be believed, talks could already be underway.
That said, other sources are suggesting an abundance of other suitors for the former England international.
AC Milan attracted to Ruben Loftus-Cheek transfer
According to 90min, which does not make any reference to Fenerbahce, another club emerging as ‘serious contenders’ to sign Loftus-Cheek would be Champions League semi-finalists AC Milan.
A move to Italy has already been speculated for Loftus-Cheek, who has also attracted Napoli and Lazio, per the report. Milan might be his most likely suitors over there, though, thanks to backing by former Chelsea colleague Fikayo Tomori.
Interestingly, 90min has also claimed that Loftus-Cheek would ‘prioritise’ moving to a Serie A side over a new challenge elsewhere in the Premier League.
Crystal Palace and Fulham – where he has previously endured loan spells – are both potentially interested in offering him the next step away from Chelsea. The report also refers to interest from Leicester City, Newcastle United, West Ham and Wolves.
But Milan might be Loftus-Cheek’s preference, so they will be putting in some work regarding a potential deal – especially if they might have to catch up with Fenerbahce.
This season, Loftus-Cheek has played 28 times in all competitions. Of his 20 Premier League appearances, 17 have been starts. However, he is yet to score and has only provided one assist (which came in the Champions League).
His all-time record in Chelsea colours includes exactly 150 appearances, from which he has contributed 13 goals and 17 assists.
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