Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek reveals Andy Murray injury chat – ‘It was good to compare careers’

Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has revealed that he spoke to former tennis world No. 1 Andy Murray about his injury struggles ahead of a season that is seeing him backed for a place in England’s World Cup squad by Blues manager Graham Potter.

Loftus-Cheek’s career has been blighted by fitness issues, including an Achilles injury that ruled him out for almost a year in 2019/20.

But the 26-year-old has featured regularly for the Blues this term, and he revealed that he spoke with three-time Grand Slam winner Murray, who has battled back from two hip operations to continue his playing career.

“I went to see Andy train and play at Surbiton in the summer. I’m a big fan of tennis,” Loftus-Cheek said.

“We had a chat, and it was good to see how he sees himself and his career and the injuries that hindered him through it.

“He had a big one with the hip that he still struggles with a bit, so it was good to compare careers.”

He added: “I’ve put a lot of work into the gym and physically to get back to how I’m feeling now, but the tougher side has been the mental side to it.”

Loftus-Cheek has made 14 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea this season, featuring regularly under Thomas Tuchel and then his successor Graham Potter.

The Blues man was a part of Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad in Russia four years ago, when they reached the semi-finals.

And Potter backed him for a call-up for this year’s tournament, with Southgate set to name his final squad by 14 November.

“He has really impressed me, Ruben, on and off the pitch,” Potter said ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Salzburg.

“He is fantastic on the ball, great physicality, great athlete. I think he is putting himself in a situation where he will be one of the players Gareth will be looking at as an outsider for the squad. But that is Gareth’s decision.”

Loftus-Cheek has 10 England caps to his name, four of which came at the 2018 World Cup, but his most recent Three Lions appearance was in November 2018.

“As a player, after going into the 2018 World Cup, you see your trajectory to go upward and to be at the next World Cup if everything goes well,” Loftus-Cheek said.

“If I go to the World Cup, it would mean the world, but that is not at the forefront of my mind at the moment.”