Loftus-Cheek speaks out on feeling trapped at Chelsea, referring to it as being “a caged animal” | OneFootball

Ruben Loftus-Cheek told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he felt like “a caged animal” at Chelsea, as he wasn’t allowed to express himself.

Loftus-Cheek who played a variety of positions across his Chelsea career never really managed to nail down one position for himself, with his later managers such as Thomas Tuchel even using the midfielder as a wing back.

The closest Loftus-Cheek came to cementing his spot was under Maurizio Sarri in a midfield three, playing as one of the number eights. However in the 2018/19 campaign with Sarri, Loftus-Cheek sustained an achilles injury in a friendly which saw him out for a prolonged period of time.

Since joining AC Milan, Loftus-Cheek has made eight appearances for the Italian side, scoring one goal, providing two assists and totalling 506 minutes. He has found himself in his natural central midfield position, often in a midfield three alongside Rade Krunic and Tijjani Reijnders.

He has also played a few games in the attacking midfield position as a number 10, which he was used to doing in his early Chelsea days, especially in the academy. These central midfield areas are where Loftus-Cheek is at his best, driving through midfield and being aloud to express himself.