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Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is reported to be the subject of transfer interest from Italian giants Inter Milan, as seen in the Daily Mail. The Blues have placed a €20 million price tag on the English midfielder.
Loftus-Cheek was given a surprise look-in by head coach Thomas Tuchel last season after his impressive pre-season display for Chelsea.
Despite the opportunity, though, the 26-year-old midfielder failed to take his chances count last campaign. He made 40 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal and contributing five assists.
The Blues' academy graduate struggled to nail down a starting shirt in a midfield that was heavily hit with injuries. This includes Tuchel's first-choice midfielders like Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kante and Jorginho.
The German manager is now keen to improve his squad ahead of the 2022-23 football season and a couple of players could make way this summer. One of those players could be Lotus-Cheek.
Should the English midfielder leave, there will definitely be a vacuum to fill in Chelsea's midfield. As such, this article will take a look at some players who could replace Loftus-Cheek.
#4 Sergej Milinković-Savić (Lazio)
One player who could definitely be a like-for-like replacement for Loftus-Cheek is Serbian midfielder Sergej Milinković-Savić. He has been exceptional for Lazio since joining them from Genk in 2015.
He has scored 58 goals and provided 51 assists in 294 appearances for the Italian side.
The 27-year-old is arguably one of the best box-to-box midfielders in Serie A and he keeps getting better every season.
Milinković-Savić will no doubt remind Chelsea fans of Loftus-Cheek during the 2018-19 season, where he was almost unplayable.
Milinković-Savić is an all-round midfielder who is combative in nature and has an eye for goal. He is also good with the ball at his feet, has great vision and possesses great shooting technique.
He played a combined total of 47 appearances for Lazio last season. Scoring 11 goals and providing 12 assists for his teammates.
#3 Youri Tielemans (Leicester City)
Another player who could be an ideal option for Chelsea to replace Loftus-Cheek should he eventually leave this summer is Youri Tielemans.
The 25-year-old Belgian midfielder is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the Premier League due to his exploits with Leicester City.
Tielemans is also regarded as an all-round midfielder who can operate in an attacking position, deep central role or as a box-to-box player. He is known for his highly exceptional qualities, such as shooting, great vision on the ball, dribbling and goal-scoring ability.
His contract with the Foxes is set to expire in the summer of 2023 and would be ideal for Chelsea to make a move for his signature this summer. However, the Blues will face strong competition from Arsenal (via Football London) if they do go for him.
Tielemans made a combined total of 50 apperances for the Foxes across all competitions last season, scoring seven goals and providing five assists.
#2 Corentin Tolisso (Bayern Munich)
French midfielder Corentin Tolisso could also be a good bargain for Chelsea in terms of finding a suitable replacement for Loftus-Cheek.
Both players have almost the same profile, with Tolisso slightly more versatile and creative than Chelsea's Loftus-Cheek.
The Bayern Munich midfielder is a force to be reckoned with. He can operate in a handful of positions, which could be a huge advantage for Tuchel's team.
Some of Tolisso's major strengths include his ball-carrying ability, great technique and also his goal scoring instinct as he is a clinical finisher.
Despite not being a regular part of Bayern Munich's midfield last season, Tolisso was still able to make 22 appearances in all competitions. He scored three goals and provided three assists in that time.
#1 Ruben Neves
Arguably one of the finest central midfielders in the Premier League, Ruben Neves will no doubt be a good addition to Chelsea's midfield if they sign him.
The Portuguese star has been an integral part of Wolverhampton Wanderers' midfield ever since he joined from FC Porto in 2017.
Neves is a traditional number 'six' but he knows how to combine both attacking and defensive duties perfectly well in midfield. This could be a good bargain for Chelsea, with the Portuguese's market value being £36 million.
He is a highly technical midfielder who knows how to control the tempo of a game from midfield. Neves is fast, strong, has good vision on the ball and is also a great tackler.
He also has great striking ability and has often scored some phenomenal goals.
He played a combined total of 35 appearances for Wolves last season, scoring four goals from midfield and providing two assists.
