In a recent report, The Daily Mail has stated that Everton are locked in a three-way battle for Chelsea playmaker Ruben Loftus-Cheek this summer. It is believed that the Toffees will have to battle Aston Villa and Southampton to acquire the English midfielder’s services either on loan or permanently during this summer transfer window (via The Daily Mail).
Loftus-Cheek’s Underwhelming Loan Spell With Fulham Recently
Loftus-Cheek spent the 2020-21 campaign on loan at Fulham where he struggled to perform at a high level. The London-born sensation has found the back of the net just once in 33 matches for the Cottagers this term across all fronts.
The 25-year-old was far from consistent as he could only average 0.8 tackles, 0.5 clearances, 1.2 shots, 0.6 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per game in the Premier League this season. However, he was at least tidy with his ball distribution after completing 80.7% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
At 25, it’s high time that Loftus-Cheek switched clubs in search of a fresh start as his career at Stamford Bridge has come to a standstill. His lacklustre loan spell has not done his confidence any good, so he would struggle to nail down a first-team place under Thomas Tuchel. Maybe a switch to Everton could appeal to Loftus-Cheek as he will have a far better chance of securing regular game time over there in the upcoming campaign.
What Will The English Midfield Ace Bring To Goodison Park?
Loftus-Cheek is a decent dribbler with the ball as he has got the strength to shield possession from the opposition when running at full swing towards the penalty box. The English talent has a wide array of passes under his belt and can unlock the opponent’s backline with a decisive pass in the attacking third.
The ten-time England international can shoot the ball purely and with a lot of power which makes him a goal-threat from long range. However, he has struggled to be prolific during his loan stay at Craven Cottage, so the jury is still out on whether he can prove his worth at a big club like Everton.
Even then, there is no denying that someone as talented as Loftus-Cheek will enhance the quality of the Toffees’ starting XI. He has got all the right attributes to fight for a regular starting spot at the Merseyside club in the coming seasons. We can expect him to bring some creativity and dynamism to Everton’s midfield and could help the Toffees challenge for a top-six finish in the Premier League. Loftus-Cheek still has plenty of time to turn his career around for the better, so the Merseysiders should consider bringing him to Goodison Park during this summer transfer period.
