“The tougher side” – Chelsea midfielder outlines battle with injuries

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek outlines his battle with injuries

Speaking in an interview as quoted by Football.London, Chelsea and England midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has opened up about his battle with injuries and has revealed that it was more difficult to handle the mental side of those setbacks.

Loftus-Cheek who was destined for the very greatest in English football at a very young age has had his own share of setbacks. After years of disappointment, the Chelsea midfielder has finally started realising his true potential and is establishing himself as a key player for the Blues.

The 26-year-old midfielder has especially gained prominence since Graham Potter’s arrival as the Blues manager and has played a lot of games. He has played 14 games across all competitions this season providing one assist until now.

Loftus-Cheek has been having a solid season so far and there are even calls for him to be included in the national team squad for the World Cup in Qatar. It will be the perfect arc of redemption for a player whose career seemed to be stalling not so long before.

If the English midfielder can maintain the good form for the Blues in the few games before the World Cup, it could go a long way towards influencing Southgate’s selection when the English manager has to finalise his squad for the showpiece event.

Speaking about his struggles with injuries and how they took a toll on his mental health, Loftus-Cheek was rather frank in his reply.

“The tougher side has been the mental side to [the injury]. Even though I’ve had to put a lot of energy into the gym, and physically, the mental side of it to stay diligent and focused and having belief was the hardest thing.”

Chelsea find themselves a little bit light in midfield. Conor Gallagher finds himself out injured as things stand and Mateo Kovacic is not 100% fit. This opens up the opportunity for Loftus-Cheek to get a regular run out in the team and get a proper chance.

The 26-year-old is still fairly young and has a long career ahead of him. His career seems to be peaking at the right time and let’s hope the English midfielder can continue his exploits in a Blues shirt for many years to come.