Ruben Loftus-Cheek is thinking about next summer’s World Cup and wants to try, in the second half of the season, to get back into the pool of options Thomas Tuchel might consider, helped by the current squad rules, which went from 26 players at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to 30 for the next one. To do this, he needs more minutes and a steadier rhythm.
At Milan he has played 15 official matches so far, with one goal, scored against Lecce on matchday two, for a total of 715 minutes. Massimiliano Allegri has used him in several roles, both as a starter and off the bench, placing him as a centre forward, as a midfielder, and in the second half against Torino as a right-sided wide player. The truth is that with the full squad available Loftus-Cheek is not among the main starters, since the standard midfield setup includes Fofana, Modric and Rabiot with Saelemaekers and Bartesaghi on the flanks. A backup role is not ideal for someone aiming for a World Cup call-up.
Loftus-Cheek, transfer market paths to reach the World Cup
This is why the upcoming January transfer window might help the English midfielder. Early interest from Premier League clubs is circulating, while a move to Napoli, in a potential swap that would bring Lorenzo Lucca to Milan, looks complicated. Loftus needs space, and if he does not get it at Milan, he will need to look elsewhere to keep alive his goal of reaching next summer’s World Cup.
A possible permanent sale of Loftus-Cheek could also help Milan’s incoming market, since Allegri’s squad needs a centre back, a right-sided alternative to Saelemaekers, and another midfielder to restore full positional depth, as told via Milan News today.
Loftus-Cheek and Milan, his peak under Pioli
The broader feeling is that Ruben produced his best during his first season at Milan under Stefano Pioli. In 2023-24 he played 40 official games across Serie A, the Champions League, the Europa League and the Coppa Italia, scoring 10 goals and logging 2860 minutes. After that, due also to physical problems, his involvement and performances dropped sharply, leaving him with only 28 official appearances, no goals, and only 1384 minutes played.
