Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has admitted that he is hoping to give Ruben Loftus-Cheek a chance in the Europa League if he gets back to full fitness after missing the game against Cardiff due to an injury.
Loftus-Cheek decided to stay put at Stamford Bridge and fight for his place in the first team in the summer, despite not being a guaranteed starter at Chelsea and is yet to start in a Premier League game so far this season.
The midfielder has been restricted to just two second half cameos off the bench, against Huddersfield Town and Bournemouth, and missed the game against Cardiff due to a minor injury.
The 22-year-old has been touted as a future star for both club and country, thanks to his promising performances at the World Cup in Russia, and Sarri admitted that he intends to find room for Loftus-Cheek in the starting eleven as Chelsea prepare for the Europa League.
“Loftus-Cheek has a little problem with his right tibia so on Saturday he wasn’t able to play”, Sarri told the club’s official website.
“I hope he can recover in the next two or three days and maybe there is an opportunity that I can give him a chance.
“I don’t know now because I want to have a very clear picture of the situation, who are the players who need to rest or not”, he added.
Chelsea will travel to Greece later this week to begin their Europa League campaign against PAOK Salonika at the Toumba Stadium on Thursday.
