Midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek is now headed to AC Milan. His former Chelsea teammate, Christian Pulisic, is moving closer to joining him in Italy. So given these two moves, plus a handful of other Blues who made the switch to the Serie A side, we are really seeing a Chelsea-to-the-Rossoneru pipeline. Loftus-Cheek leaves Stamford Bridge after almost two decades with the club.
In his 155 appearances across a span of 19 years the English international won numerous winner’s medals, including the Premier League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Super Cup.
Thank you for everything ? @ChelseaFC pic.twitter.com/YxoAt1gDSk
— Ruben Loftus-Cheek (@RLC) June 30, 2023
Here is the goodbye message that Loftus-Cheek posted on his social media.
‘I don’t even know where to begin with this. I’ve been at Chelsea since the age of eight and to come through the ranks and play senior football at this club… there’s just no better feeling. I’ve truly gone from being a boy to a man at this club over the last 19 years and it’s hard to say goodbye to so many people that have helped guide and shape me as the person and player I am today.
‘It’s always been my dream to play for Chelsea so being able to win the FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth Cup during my days in the Academy, to then making my first-team debut and winning the Premier League and Europa League during my senior career, is something that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
‘I would like to thank everyone associated with Chelsea Football Club who have helped me during my career. To the coaches that I’ve worked with, the backroom staff and my team-mates to the people I’ve seen day-to-day at the training ground over the last 19 years, thank you all.
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‘To the fans, you’ve supported me and had my back from day one, no words will ever be enough to tell you how much that has meant to my family and I. I wish nothing but the best to everyone here and hope to see the club get back on the right path and winning silverware as soon as possible.
‘It’s time for me to begin a new adventure in football, to live in a new country and experience a new culture, but I really do hope our paths will cross again in the future. Thank you for everything.’
Vaya con dios RLC
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.