Fulham have signed Chelsea midfielder Reuben Loftus-Cheek on a season-long loan deal.
The England international becomes the newly-promoted side’s second deadline day capture after the Whites launched a late move to secure his services. The 24 year-old has made just one senior appearance under Frank Lampard this season and held talks with the Chelsea boss earlier this week to guarantee first-team football in a bid to reignite his international career. Injuries and a lack of regular game time have seen him fallen down Gareth Southgate’s pecking order after a stellar end to the 2017/2018 season saw him included in the World Cup squad.
The attacking midfielder told Fulham’s website:
I’m really happy to come ‘next door,’ if you will! I watched Fulham at the start of the season and they looked like they’re playing decent football. With this manager, I think I can get back to my best football. That’s the main thing for me, to find my form and help this team win games.
Loftus-Cheek, who has won ten senior international caps, has been at Stamford Bridge since the age of eight. He was part of the Blues’ under-18 squad that beat Fulham in the FA Youth Cup final in 2014 and made his senior debut as a substitute in a Champions’ League win over Sporting Lisbon that December. He made his league debut against Manchester City in January 2015 and was awarded a Premier League winners’ medal by Jose Mourinho despite making just three appearances in the 2014/2015 campaign.
He scored his first professional goal against Scunthorpe United in the FA Cup in January 2016 but found his opportunities limited under Antonio Conte. He starred on loan with Crystal Palace, scoring twice in 25 appearances for the Eagles as Roy Hodgson’s men stayed up despite losing their first seven league matches. He was rewarded with a first England call-up from Southgate and was part of England’s 23-man squad for the World Cup in Russia, replacing Dele Ali in England’s last-gasp opening group game win over Tunisia.
To good CB signed and this the Stella signing. Best of luck Reuben
COYW
I think it’s time we give Tong Khan some credit for this great business, he has signed both abarabioyo and Robinson for just 3.5 million and also has loaned in Lookman, Anderson and RLC who are quality additions in our push for survival. On top of that managing to keep Anguissa who is arguably our best player. COYW????????
Totally agree good business done would have liked Baumgarti as well as the other two just for insurance,did not think we would get Loftus Cheek good signing hope we can keep him
If RLC can stay free of injury and recapture his form, we have-in Tony Khan’s words-signed a “world class player”. His achilles tendon injury was so severe that it sidelined him for a very long time. We have to assume that, having passed a Fulham medical-which is said to be one of the most stringent -he is definitely in great shape. Chelsea have used him as a striker on occasion and, by all accounts, he started upfront for Chelsea against Brighton so this gives us another option.
I totally concur with Hayden’s comment that, love him or hate him, Tony Khan has pulled off a real coup with this one and, indeed, the other two pre-deadline signings.
I am a real fan of Anderson, in particular, and can’t wait to see him in a Fulham shirt.
Onwards and upwards!
Agreed. These 3 are the exact holes we needed filling except still no striker No Mitrovic back up is an obvious weakness. We’ve ended up in a decent position though for sure. TK has come through…but…with 10% of the season done and time to bed in now this could and should have all been done earlier. But…we now at least have a chance. Time to look forward with a bit of hope.
Well I think the 3 signings are a relief and welcome surprise after all doom and gloom . Anderson solid , abarabioyo young and hungry to prove himself and RLC a class player. Baumgarti from what I heard in Germany would in fact not Have brought much . If added to other new signings like Lookman , Robinson and Tete not bad . Cant make out Khan – seems all Last minute and think better he brings in a dedicated Director of Football . But we all need to step back … Leeds and Wolves games were very close , defensive errors key ( maybe solvable now) and unlucky not to get a draw . Arsenal was never a chance and Villa just humiliated Liverpool . So much to play for … COYW
I know it is near heresy, but when Mitro doesnt play we score more goals as the midfield have to step up and we aren’t quite as predictable with crossing into the lone striker. Lookman or RLC as a false 9 in those circumstances might yield results.
Let’s,stop this premature praise for Tony Khan! We haven’t seen these players perform yet, so how do we know! Some of you seem over anxious to give Tony the benefit of the doubt.I don’t, he’s still a meddling amateur to me until he proves otherwise, and he hasn’t yet! Then there is the question of coaching. Even if these players are good enough is Parkers coaching?!? I doubt it! Let’s wait and see both the players perform and lParker coach before cheering! I still think Tony and Parker are liabilities, letcthem prove me wrong!
My friend works at brentford fc and sent me something this morning regarding Benrahma and looks like May be signing for us by Thursday for 23 Mill plus add on’s.
How true this is I don’t know but I would not say no.
RL Cheek is a great signing and although I’ve been moaning about Tony Khan I think in the end most of us would be happy with who he managed to get in.
We needed centre backs and we got two and a central midfielder I think we lacked in quality seri won’t play much was hoping he left but happy with the rest.
Benrahma would fill that striker role nicely