Former Chelsea supervisor Maurizio Sarri is believed to be serious about reuniting with Ruben Loftus-Cheek at Lazio.
The pair labored collectively throughout the Italian’s sole season – the 2018-19 marketing campaign – at Stamford Bridge, with Sarri giving the midfielder the fixed first-team minutes that he had been craving on the time.
Loftus-Cheek, who got here by the Chelsea academy, blossomed below the stewardship of Sarri, that includes 40 occasions in all competitions and scoring 10 occasions.
The 29-year-old is now plying his commerce for AC Milan within the Serie A – leaving his boyhood membership two years in the past – whereas the Italian coach has lately returned for a second stint as Lazio boss.
Sarri resigned from the membership in March 2024, solely to return in June after 15 months away, and now he has his sights on poaching Loftus-Cheek from the Rossoneri, based on Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla.
The 66-year-old coach is believed to have been serious about bringing Loftues-Cheek to the Stadio Olimpico throughout his first stint as boss, however he as an alternative opted to maneuver to Milan.
Maurizio Sarri is serious about signing Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who he coached at Chelsea, for Lazio
Loftus-Cheek presently performs for AC Milan however endured a troublesome second season on the membership
Sarri, 66, has lately returned to the Lazio dugout after 15 months away from the game
Loftus-Cheek’s first season within the Serie A was a powerful one after breaking from the cage of Stamford Bridge seeking extra first-team minutes.
He thrived in the midst of the par below then-boss Stefano Pioli – who has since had a brief and bitter stint as Al Nassr supervisor – turning into a mainstay within the Milan aspect.
Nevertheless, his second season within the style capital of Italy didn’t show so fruitful as he didn’t register a single objective in a marketing campaign disrupted by damage.
Now, the ex-Blues star wants rejuvenating and Sarri seems to need to give him a brand new lease of life as soon as extra.
Loftus-Cheek arrived at Cobham as an eight-year-old, happening to make 155 senior appearances after rising by the ranks, notching up 13 objectives and 17 assists in all competitions.
Nevertheless, because of accidents and competitors for locations, the Englishman by no means established himself as a daily and he was despatched on loans to London rivals Crystal Palace and Fulham.
Whereas as soon as being tipped to develop into a legend in blue, Loftus-Cheek discovered it robust to interrupt by a star-studded forged, and final yr he admitted that he wished he left the membership in his youthful years in a bid to shine.
‘Being at Chelsea coming by, that was the case,’ he advised The Occasions. ‘It was very troublesome to play a variety of soccer. Regardless that you are very proficient, Chelsea can herald one other participant who’s of their prime, simply able to go for thousands and thousands.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek spent 19 years at boyhood membership Chelsea earlier than leaving in June 2023
His sole season below Sarri is thought to be his greatest in blue as he scored 10 objectives in 40 video games
However a collection of accidents over time hampered his progress whereas at his boyhood membership
‘It’s troublesome as a younger participant coming by. However I believe if the membership has a approach of liking and pushing home-grown gamers by, I believe it may be straightforward.
‘I believe for those who’re a teenager, seven or eight years outdated, and you’ve got signed with Chelsea, implausible as a result of it is a fantastic academy. And you may learn to play soccer. And you may develop your abilities there. An ideal coach is teaching you.
‘However it will get to a degree, possibly at 15, 16, the place you are attending to that stage the place it is youth-team soccer.
‘And also you would possibly need to begin desirous about going and enjoying some other place as a result of it is very troublesome now to only go straight by. And the easiest way to develop is by enjoying video games and enjoying males’s soccer.
‘And it is simpler to try this some other place at a decrease membership. And I really feel like that is what I missed out on, I believe.’
