Ruben Loftus-Cheek: Chelsea midfielder ‘facing year out with ruptured Achilles’ as Gareth Southgate confirms injury blow

Ruben Loftus-Cheek: Chelsea midfielder ‘facing year out with ruptured Achilles’ as Gareth Southgate confirms injury blow
Ruben Loftus-Cheek will reportedly miss up to a year of football after suffering a serious injury during Chelsea’s friendly with New England Revolution.The Blues won 3-0 in the United States but Maurizio Sarri, the club’s manager, was dealt a huge blow when Loftus-Cheek went down injured, and was seen leaving the stadium on crutches and in a protective boot.Twitter @CarefreeLewisG2

Chelsea fans were distressed when post-match photos of Loftus-Cheek were shared on social media

And, according to The Sun, the England midfielder faces a minimum six months on the sidelines, with a ruptured Achilles potentially keeping him out for a whole year.This means Loftus-Cheek will miss the Europa League final, this summer’s Nations League finals, and the start of next season.Gareth Southgate confirmed in a press conference today that Loftus-Cheek was going to be in his squad for next month’s Nations League finals, but he had to call-up a replacement after waking up and seeing the midfielder’s injury.“We will find out more about a couple of players in that period and then I am going to have to make a couple of decisions,” said Southgate. “But we can change if we have injuries after that date. Frankly there is every chance that is going to happen. “We have just got to make the best possible decisions really with the information that we have. It is constantly moving.“I went to bed last night and Ruben is in the squad and playing brilliantly and now it is a huge disappointment for him. He misses now a major European final and a brilliant opportunity with us.“In particular he has really come on in the last few months and looked strong and playing with a lot of confidence and I am really disappointed for him in particular.”Southgate also claimed Callum Hudson-Odoi, Loftus-Cheek’s Chelsea team-mate, would have been in the England squad if he did not pick up a serious injury of his own during the final weeks of the Premier League season.@England2

Southgate confirmed his 27-man England squad for the Nations League finals on Thursday afternoon

Chelsea’s medical staff are still assessing the extent of Loftus-Cheek’s injury and must decide whether the 23-year-old should undergo surgery.Loftus-Cheek suffered the injury just after the hour mark, despite only being introduced as a half-time substitute.He was replaced by the club’s Academy Player of the Year, Conor Gallagher.Chelsea were in the US for a charity friendly as part of their Say No To Antisemitism campaign.Prior to the fixture, Sarri lauded the trip’s purpose, but conceded that he felt his men needed to rest.Nevertheless, the Italian fielded a strong starting XI at the Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where owner Roman Abramovich was in attendance on Wednesday night.

LIVE ON talkSPORT

talkSPORT is your home of live football! Here's what's coming up on talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2...

• Portsmouth vs Sunderland (Thursday, 7:45pm) talkSPORT 2
• Charlton vs Doncaster (Friday, 7:45pm) talkSPORT 2
• Manchester City vs Watford (Saturday, 5pm) talkSPORT

Ross Barkley got Chelsea off to a rapid start with the first of two goals for the midfielder, finding the net in the third minute with a ball intercepted from a clearance effort by Revolution defender Jalil Anibaba.Olivier Giroud put Chelsea up 2-0 just before the half-hour mark, heading a cross from Davide Zappacosta.Sarri made six changes at half-time, among them bringing on Loftus-Cheek in place of Mateo Kovacic.Barkley made it 3-0 for the visitors just after the hour, with New England managing to hold off Chelsea for the remainder of the match.

---

New images have emerged online of Arsenal's potential home shirt for the 2019/2020 campaign - and it has evoked a huge reaction from fans. This season is the Gunners' last in their current kit deal with Puma and they've already signed a money spinning contract with one of the giants of the sports manufacturers - adidas.
'Make this happen!' - Arsenal fans are loving the 'leaked

---

Derby County news: Frank Lampard wants Rams to take

---

Stats. If we just look at Alisson's 2017-18 stats, the ones that got him noticed by the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea, we can see some of the reasons why Liverpool rate him so high. He looks like an exceptional shot-stopper with an extremely high save percentage. For Roma last season, he saved 81% of the shots he faced on target in the league.
Alisson on justifying his Liverpool transfer fee, the art of

---

That has not stopped transfer speculation that the deal to bring Rabiot to the Nou Camp is all but done, and the Frenchman has already snubbed a switch to Tottenham. L'Equipe, however, insist Liverpool remain in the mix and have held 'several meetings' about Rabiot joining Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
Liverpool 'hold meetings' about potential Adrien Rabiot transfer

---

Nov 27, 2018 · Sol Campbell, the new manager of Macclesfield Town, poses for a picture with Exeter City mascots before the match. Photograph: Tom Sandberg/PPAUK Sol Campbell will be unveiled by the League Two
Macclesfield Town boss Sol Campbell calls for Silkmen to

---

Vlasic criticises Everton's 'awful' game under former boss Allardyce Former Everton boss Sam Allardyce says that he is "surprised" by the news that Anthony Martial has reportedly been offered

---

Premier League trio Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United chasing Lilian Thuram's son, Marcus, after stunning start to the season Written by: fpnews Posted on: January 15, 2019 Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United are set to battle it out for Marcus Thuram - the son of French World Cup winner Lilian.
Arsenal and Tottenham to battle for Lilian Thuram's son

---

Porto vs Liverpool FREE live stream: How to watch without paying extra plus TV channel, kick-off time and line-ups It's another huge night of Champions League quarter-final action this evening By
Liverpool vs Porto FREE live stream: How to watch without

---

In 2005, at the age of 43, Ian Rush considered coming out of retirement to play for TNS, after the Welsh side were drawn against Liverpool for their opening round Champions League qualifying match, but later decided against this. Since November 2005, Ian Rush has been involved in media work within the game, including a stint as an analyst with

---

Thierry Henry glares at Benoit Badiashile as Monaco defender forgets to tuck his chair in after press conference. The 17-year-old got the angry eyes from his manager after a press conference. Video.
Henry glares at Badiashile as Monaco kid forgets to tuck in

---

Metropolitan Police investigate alleged threats by Willie McKay in Emiliano Sala row investigation by South Wales Police over claims he threatened to kill staff at the Premier League club in a

---