Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has stepped up his recovery from injury and has vowed to come back ‘stronger and sharper’ after a five-month injury lay-off.
The 23-year-old midfielder ruptured his Achilles during the end-of-season friendly with New England Revolution in May. Loftus-Cheek suffered the injury just after the hour mark, despite only being introduced as a half-time substitute.
Prior to the fixture, former boss Sarri lauded the trip’s purpose but conceded that he felt his men needed to rest.
That meant Loftus-Cheek missed the Europa League final and the summer’s Nations League finals.
but Loftus-Cheek now ‘close’ to getting back on the pitch.
Speaking to WOWHYDRATE, he said: ‘I’ve actually had a few setbacks that have put me behind which has been quite frustrating, to be honest,’ he added.
‘I’ve had to learn to walk again and I’ve only just got pain free but for sure I’m going to come back stronger, sharper and do whatever I can to be in better shape.
‘Before I got injured I was playing my best football. I’ve missed feeling tired from running, from hard work, that feeling of being in a game again.
‘Everything I’ve been working towards is for the feeling of stepping back onto that pitch again and I’m ready to go.’
It has been a long five months for Loftus-Cheek since suffering the injury.
He added: ‘When it happened I turned and pushed off and I heard a clap, it was really loud and I thought someone had smashed me from behind. The referee gave a free-kick, he blew the whistle so he must have been close to me, but watching the tape back nobody was near me.
Loftus-Cheek faces a fight to regain his place in the team when he makes a return with Chelsea currently enjoying a good run of form and Mason Mount firmly establishing himself in the attacking midfield position.
Loftus-Cheek’s versatility might allow Lampard to play the 23-year-old on the wing or in a deeper midfield position but he faces competition from Kovacic, Jorginho and N’golo Kante.
