Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek hasn’t played competitive football this season as he has been out injured since May last year, after suffering an injury just before the Europa League final against Arsenal last year.
Loftus-Cheek had played with the youth team and the development squad to boost his match fitness and was about to finally return to Chelsea’s first team when the coronavirus struck. Frank Lampard has now sympathised with the midfielder, who will have to regain his match fitness again after being on the sidelines for nearly a year.
“I suppose in a few cases, it is a bit frustrating because we had just got to the stage where Ruben Loftus-Cheek was looking like he might be ready to play soon,” the Chelsea boss said, as quoted by the Evening Standard.“So that match fitness thing we were looking for, we’ve kind of lost that.”
Loftus-Cheek has missed most of the current season due to an Achilles injury picked up in a friendly against the New England Revolution last May, and the 24-year-old has suffered a few setbacks along the way. However, former Chelsea defender Gary Chivers has revealed that he can’t wait to see Loftus-Cheek back in the team.
“Loftus-Cheek has been so unfortunate with injuries. It has really stopped his career progressing at a faster pace really.
“When he has come in and played he has been outstanding but then he gets a niggle and misses a few months. This one was a big injury of course. His career is hurtling forwards then it stops again. He is clever on the ball, quick feet and he is as strong as an ox at holding it up.
“He gives the midfield and defence support by not giving it away. You just want him to have four or five months clear of injuries so his career can progress rapidly again.”