Ruben Loftus-Cheek explained the reasons behind his decision to leave Chelsea this summer after being unveiled as an AC Milan player for the first time on Tuesday.
The English midfielder, who has signed a four-year contract with the Italian giants, sealed a £15million move to San Siro at the end of June and is expected to be joined by former Blues team-mate Christian Pulisic in Milan.
Loftus-Cheek, 27, admitted it was time to leave west London after over two decades at the club, as he became increasingly frustrated by both a lack of game time and the positions he was being deployed in.
'I love the club and the fans but I wasn't feeling content with the amount I was playing and the positions I was playing in,' he admitted during his first AC Milan press conference.
'I felt I had more to give but I wasn't getting the opportunity. I feel good physically and am playing some really good football. It was a good time to move on.'
The English midfielder (right) is set to be joined in Milan by former Chelsea team-mate Christian Pulisic (centre), who is close to completing his summer move to San Siro this week
Loftus-Cheek flourished during his season-long loan spell at Crystal Palace in 2017-18 and subsequently earned a call-up to Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad in Russia that summer.
But the midfielder struggled to carve out a permanent position in the first team upon his return to Stamford Bridge, affected in part by a serious Achilles injury, and has since played a sporadic role, failing to rack up more than 25 Premier League appearances in a single season at the club.
Loftus-Cheek will begin his new chapter at Milan during the team's pre-season tour of the United States, as the Serie A side prepare to face European giants such as Real Madrid and Barcelona.
By moving to San Siro, the 27-year-old has reunited with former Blues star Fikayo Tomori, who joined AC Milan in 2021.
Comments