#3 Ruben Loftus-Cheek: 20 Years Old (Chelsea)
While he might have featured sparsely for Chelsea in the last season, Loftus-Cheek’s reputation as one of the best young central midfielders in the league has not diminished. The Blues’ new manager Antonio Conte has demonstrated that he likes his team to be defensively solid and in Loftus-Cheek he has a player who can dominate the midfield, despite only being 20 years of age.
The Chelsea graduate is a powerhouse and has been compared to the likes of Yaya Toure and Patrick Viera by numerous pundits since his senior debut. There has been speculation linking star midfielder Nemanja Matic away from the Stamford Bridge and should he make a move, Loftus-Cheek is the best option available to Conte from within the club’s ranks.
The Chelsea graduate, who recently stated that he is ready to experience the rigours of the English top flight after initially finding it hard, will be critical to Chelsea’s fortunes in the long season that lies ahead.
