Ruben Loftus-Cheek wishes he had left Chelsea earlier in his career but is now loving life at AC Milan.
The former Blues midfielder, who joined Milan last season, has been a key figure for the Rossoneri and is ready to take on Venezia as Milan searches for their first win of the season.
Despite a rough start with just two points from three games, Loftus-Cheek insists that the team and fans need to trust the process and remain patient with new head coach Paulo Fonseca and his methods.
MORE: All the latest Chelsea news | Premier League schedule for 2024/25 | Latest Premier League top scorer rankings
Loftus-Cheek opens up on Chelsea exit and Milan’s new era
In an interview with Times Sport, Loftus-Cheek reflected on his time at Chelsea and admitted that leaving sooner could have benefited his development.
"It was very difficult to play a lot of football at Chelsea, even though you’re talented," Loftus-Cheek said, explaining how the club’s tendency to buy fully-formed stars made it harder for home-grown players like himself to get consistent minutes. "If I could go back, I would have made the move earlier."
“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. 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.”
Now in Italy, Loftus-Cheek is finding his feet under Fonseca, and he remains optimistic despite Milan’s slow start. "We all believe fully in the manager. We need time to learn his ways and get things right," he assured fans. "Once we do, we’ll be winning. It’s about working hard on the pitch and keeping the faith."
The midfielder has also been under the watchful eye of Milan legend Zlatan Ibrahimović, who continues to spend time at the training ground to help motivate the squad. "He reminds us that we’re at a prestigious club that wants to win, and he believes in us," said Loftus-Cheek. "He thinks I can score even more goals, so that’s my focus."
As Loftus-Cheek adjusts to life in Serie A, he’s confident that both he and Milan will rise to the challenge.
