Chelsea bids farewell to Ruben Loftus-Cheek as midfielder joins AC Milan

Ruben Loftus-Cheek has bid farewell to Chelsea after 19 years with the club, joining AC Milan on a deal that runs until June 2027.

Born in London on January 23, 1996, Loftus-Cheek rose through the ranks of Chelsea's youth system, making his professional debut for the club in 2014.

He had stints on loan at Crystal Palace during the 2017/18 season and Fulham in the 2020/21 season. His Chelsea career saw him play 155 games, score 13 goals, and win two Premier League titles, a Club World Cup, a European Super Cup, and a League Cup.

Loftus-Cheek, an Academy graduate, won the FA Youth Cup and the UEFA Youth League before being promoted to the senior squad in the 2014/15 season. His first senior goal came against Scunthorpe just before his 19th birthday.

The London-born midfielder, who was also a part of England's semi-final run in the 2018 World Cup, had his most prolific season in 2018/19.

After an impressive loan spell at Crystal Palace, he returned to Chelsea, making 40 appearances and scoring 10 goals, including a hat-trick against BATE Borisov in the Europa League, which Chelsea ultimately won.

However, an Achilles injury prevented him from playing in the final of that tournament. He was back in the Chelsea squad for the 2021/22 season following a loan at Fulham.

Last season, he demonstrated his versatility under Thomas Tuchel, playing as a wing-back in important games, including a Champions League match against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Loftus-Cheek departs after 155 appearances, during which he netted 13 goals and collected a variety of winners' medals.