Chelsea got it so wrong over Loftus-Cheek
LAST season, Chelsea signed two English midfield players for roughly £60million: Ross Barkley and Danny Drinkwater and neither are at the World Cup. Barkley was injured even before his move to Stamford Bridge but disappeared without trace in the second half of the season. Drinkwater was an 11th-hour signing whose arrival was always bemusing. He had a brilliant understanding with his colleagues at Leicester but was likely to be on the periphery at Chelsea, as was proved. He even pulled out of England duty to focus on getting fit for his club, with a predictable impact on his international fortunes. Compare that to Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Signed a new contract at Chelsea but went on loan to Crystal Palace, and was given enough playing time to force his way into England’s World Cup squad. Now there is talk of him going out on loan again, probably back to Crystal Palace, who would be delighted to offer a second season. It seems Chelsea do not trust him enough to play but are too fearful of his talent to let him go permanently. From Loftus-Cheek’s point of view, however, what does that matter? He earns Chelsea money without disappearing into the black hole that swallows their other English players and he plays regular Premier League football. It comes to something when it is better to orbit Chelsea than be a part of their first-team squad. What does it say of the recruitment policy that it is preferable not to be rated by them? How can they have got it so wrong last season?