I was set to be the next John Terry - now I wish I left Chelsea 12 years ago
Former Chelsea academy graduate Ruben Loftus-Cheek has admitted that he missed out on developing as a footballer by staying in the Cobham ranks. The 28-year-old joined the Blues aged eight and played right the way through to the first-team before signing for AC Milan on a permanent deal.
Loftus-Cheek managed 155 appearances during his time at Stamford Bridge, scoring 13 goals and providing 17 assists, before completing his Serie A move. During his time out of the squad, he spent time on loan in the Premier League with London rivals Fulham and Crystal Palace.
Jose Mourinho handed him his debut in the 1-1 draw against Manchester City in 2015, aged 19, after making his Champions League debut a 12 months earlier. Injuries hampered his development in SW6, but Loftus-Cheek was among the highest-rated academy prospects in South London, winning the UEFA Youth League and FA Youth Cup twice.
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However, in an interview with The Times, he had revealed that - with the benefit of hindsight - he would have left the club at the age of 16 in order to further his development, earning first-team minutes in men's football. He said: "I think if you’re a youngster, seven or eight years old, and you’ve signed with Chelsea, fantastic.
"Because it’s a great academy. And you’ll learn how to play football. And you’ll develop your skills there," he says. "And a great coach is coaching you. But it gets to a point, maybe at 15, 16, where you’re getting to that stage where it’s youth-team football.
"And you might want to start thinking about going and playing somewhere else. Because it’s very difficult now to just go straight through. And the best way to develop is by playing games and playing men’s football.
"And it’s easier to do that somewhere else at a lower club. And I feel like that’s what I missed out on, I think."